Khelo Bharat Niti: Regulatory bodies for better sports administration but will IOA, NSFs play ball?

New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) India's sports administration could become heavily supervised by the government going by the newly-unveiled Khelo Bharat Niti which seeks to create "national level regulatory bodies and inter-ministerial committees" to ensure "ethical practices" and prepare the country for possibly hosting the 2036 Olympics.

The 20-page document, which has been accessed by PTI, will be the guiding force of structural changes in Indian sports ecosystem and includes a detailed plan for "strong professional sports governance." It states that given India's push to become an Olympic host in 2036, for which a letter of intent has already been submitted, a revamp of sports governance would be necessary.

"With a view to prepare India's sports ecosystem for Olympics 2036, the requisite regulatory framework including law, if required, for governance shall be established," states the policy, which will supersede the one introduced in 2001.

Already, a National Anti-Doping bill is ready for introduction in Parliament and a draft sports bill is also waiting in the wings to be passed by the legislature.

The new policy, which has been described as transformative by sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, aligns with his thrust on accountability of administrators, who are often accused of focussing more on turf wars and doing little for their respective sports.

"National-level regulatory bodies and/or processes shall be established to ensure ethical practices, fair play and healthy competition in the sports sector," the policy asserts.

"It will also involve the creation of national agencies and inter-ministerial committees to facilitate swift action and effective issue resolution, promoting transparency and seamless operations across the sports ecosystem," it says.

This statement is bound to add to the discomfort of the Indian Olympic Association and the National Sports Federations.

IOA President P T Usha has already expressed her opposition towards any regulatory mechanism by saying that such a system can be construed as government interference, which is unacceptable to the International Olympic Committee.

India had copped an IOC ban back in 2012 and apart from corruption, the other reason cited for the suspension was government interference in its election process. The ban was lifted only after fresh elections were held in 2014.

The new policy mentions a monitoring mechanism for NSFs to ensure transparency.

"Sports promotion institutions in the country, including NSFs, will be strengthened by focusing on operational efficiency, professional management, transparency and financial sustainability.

"This will call for the enhancement of national-level monitoring agencies to ensure seamless functioning and effective issue redressal mechanisms," it says.

National Framework and Regulatory Bodies ============================ The policy goes on to emphasise that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and time-bound targets will be established to guide the development of sports in the country.

"Each stakeholder will play a crucial role in the successful execution of the policy's initiatives.

"Government agencies will provide the necessary regulatory framework and funding, sports federations will drive talent development and competition, the private sector will contribute resources and innovation, and the public will engage in and support sports activities," it states.

A Sports Innovation Task Force will also be established to oversee targeted innovation efforts in sports science and sports medicine.

Funding Mechanism for Sports ==================== The policy proposes a revamped funding mechanism, including initiatives such as "Adopt an Athlete", "Adopt a District", "Adopt a Venue", "One Corporate-One Sport", and "One PSU-One State" wherever feasible.

"Efforts shall be made to establish Sports Business Advisory Group comprising representatives from relevant ministries, the private sector, and other stakeholders for fostering the growth of the sports industry." The document states that schemes will be developed to encourage participation from the private sector in sports development activities.

"To incentivise this contribution, the policy will incorporate Return on Investment (ROI) considerations for private entities, making their involvement in sports development both attractive and sustainable," it adds. PTI PM AM PM AM AM