Lok Sabha passes landmark sports governance, anti-doping bills amid opposition uproar. Know all about it

The union government on Monday (August 11) passed the National Sports Governance Bill and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, amid protests from the opposition. Both the bills were tabled by sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya during the ongoing monsoon session in the presence of speaker Sandhya Ray of the BJP.

The Sports Governance Bill aims to overhaul sports administration in India, while the Anti-Doping Amendment Bill seeks to grant greater operational independence to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in line with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) directives.

“The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to enhance institutional and operational independence of the National Anti-Doping Appeal Panel and the National Anti-Doping Agency to ensure autonomy in their decisions pertaining to operations, investigations, and enforcement activities,” the Bill’s objectives said. “The Bill will be the single biggest reform in sports since Independence. Through this bill, we hope to realise the dream of ground to glory,” Mandaviya said of the Sports Governance Bill in Lok Sabha.

“It will strengthen accountability and professionalism. It will give more opportunities to women in the country, and it will ensure justice for our athletes.” "It will have massive significance in India's sports ecosystem. It is unfortunate that such an important bill and reform does not have opposition's participation," he added.

Most of the opposition MPs were absent when the bills were introduced, having been detained during a march to the Election Commission over alleged voter data manipulation in Bihar. After two MPs spoke in support, opposition members returned and started slogan-shouting. The bills were passed by voice vote and the House adjourned till 4 pm. Earlier, Parliamentary Sports Committee chair Digvijaya Singh had urged Speaker Om Birla to refer the Sports Governance Bill to the panel for detailed scrutiny.

Mandaviya said the two bills were key reforms aimed at building a "transparent, accountable and world-class sports ecosystem" in India as the country aims to bid for the 2036 Olympics. "Efforts have been made since 1975 and in 1985, we had the first draft. But sports was also politicised for personal gains. Some ministers made efforts to bring this bill but could not move forward. "In 2011, we had a National Sports Code. Another effort was made to turn it into a bill. It reached the cabinet, there was a discussion as well but the bill was deferred after that. It did not reach the Parliament," the minister stated while presenting a timeline of the bill's journey."

"The National Sports Bill Governance Bill is a force of change...Despite being such a large country, our performance at the Olympic Games and on the international stage has not been satisfactory and this Bill aims to build India's sports capacity," he added.