PT Usha backs Sports Governance Bill to end “stagnant status quo” and usher in transparency
Indian Olympic Association President says the legislation will empower athletes, boost India’s 2036 Olympics bid, and bring accountability, gender parity, and fair play to sports administration.
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Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President and Rajya Sabha nominated member P T Usha has extended her unequivocal support to the National Sports Governance Bill, calling it a long-awaited step that will “end decades of stagnant status quo” and usher in “transparency, and accountability” in India’s sports administration.
During a discussion in the Upper House on August 12, a day after the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, Usha lauded key provisions such as the creation of a National Sports Board (NSB) with overriding powers to recognise National Sports Federations (NSFs). Affiliation to the NSB will be mandatory for federations to access central funds. The legislation also proposes a National Sports Tribunal to resolve sports disputes and a National Sports Election Panel to oversee NSF polls.
"Today is a day of immense personal and national significance. I have long awaited this moment," Usha said, seated alongside fellow nominated member Sudha Murthy.
The legendary athlete recalled opposing the bill last year, labelling it as government interference and warning it could invite a ban from the International Olympic Committee. However, she said her stance changed after extensive consultations with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
"Let me take you back to 1984, I was just 20 when I missed an Olympic medal in Los Angeles. That day my heart broke... there was no comprehensive sports law to support the dreams that we carried in our hearts. Since then four decades passed, there was nothing done to address the stagnant status quo... Today the hope has transformed into action and legislation. It is a visionary and long overdue bill," she said.
Usha described the bill as a turning point for Indian sports. "This bill will usher in transparency, accountability, and gender parity. It will empower athletes and build confidence among sponsors and federations. It is about justice and fair-play," she added.
Highlighting the bill’s relevance to India’s long-term sporting ambitions, Usha said its structured administrative framework would support the country’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
"This legislation comes at a time when India is dreaming big, dreaming for its rightful share in global sporting fraternity by hosting the 2036 Olympics. For Bharat, it is not just a bill, it is a clarion call for action," she said.
"This bill is a critical pillar of a grand vision. Let us see this as a moral promise, a promise that athletes will no longer be let down by an apathetic system. As someone who ran bare foot on clay tracks... I can say that this bill will change lives," she said.
Usha also voiced support for the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill, which reaffirms the operational independence of the National Anti-Doping Agency while establishing a National Anti-Doping Board to advise on procedural matters.
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"It is through such effective legislation that we can bring a new culture of clean sports. This bill will illuminate the athletes' path with clarity," she said.
