New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has officially notified new rules under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 to regulate how sports bodies and controversies are regulated in India. The newly notified National Sports Board and National Sports Tribunal Rules 2026 aims to make sports administration more transparent, professional and digitally regulated. One of the biggest changes is a dedicated online system where sports related disputes, notices, documents and hearings can be dealt with digitally. The government said the system will allow for “submission of disputes, notices, replies, documents and explanations” along with virtual hearings, publication of orders and maintenance of records.The new National Sports Board will act as the central authority responsible for recognizing national sports bodies and checking whether they adhere to 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 of the Search-cum-Selection Committee.”The government has also created a National Sports Tribunal specifically to deal with legal disputes related to sports. Its aim is to reduce the burden on civil courts and provide speedy decisions in sports matters.The rules state, “The Chairperson and every other member shall hold office for a period of three years from the date of their assumption of office or till the age of sixty-five years, whichever is earlier.”To avoid conflict of interest, the notification added, “The Chairperson or any member shall not, during his term of office, hold any office in any international sports body, national sports body or their affiliated unit.”The board will also maintain public records of sports bodies, recommend international best practices, conduct workshops and monitor governance standards. Additionally, its financial accounts will be audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and subsequently presented to Parliament.
