NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry has officially notified new rules under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 to improve how sports bodies and disputes are managed in India. The newly notified National Sports Board and National Sports Tribunal Rules for 2026 aim to make sports administration more transparent, professional and digitally organised. One of the biggest changes is the dedicated online system where sports-related disputes, notices, documents and hearings can be handled digitally. The government said the system will allow “submission of disputes, notices, responses, documents and clarifications” along with virtual hearings, publication of orders and record maintenance.The new National Sports Board will act as the main authority responsible for recognising National Sports Bodies and checking whether they follow governance, financial and ethical standards. According to the notification, “The Central Government shall appoint the Chairperson and two Members of the Board from the panel of names recommended by the Search-cum-Selection Committee.”The government has also created a National Sports Tribunal to deal specifically with sports-related legal disputes. The aim is to reduce the burden on civil courts and provide quicker decisions in sports matters.The rules state, “The Chairperson and every other Member shall hold office for a term of three years from the date on which they enters upon their office or till they attain the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.”To avoid conflicts of interest, the notification added, “The Chairperson or any Member shall not, during their term of office, hold any position in any International Sports Body, National Sports Body or their affiliate unit.”The Board will also maintain public records of sports bodies, suggest international best practices, organise workshops and monitor governance standards. Additionally, its financial accounts will be audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and later presented before Parliament.
