Union Sports Ministry urges states to promote good governance in the functioning of state and district-level associations

"In a recent letter sent to Chief Secretaries of all states, Sports Secretary Shri Ajit M Sharan has said that the Government of India had formulated a National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI) in 2011," read a government statement.

"The Code, inter-alia, contains instructions on good governance and transparency in the functioning of Sports Federations including restrictions on age and tenure of the office bearers of the National Sports Federations and Indian Olympic Association. These instructions were challenged by the Indian Olympic Association in the Delhi High Court in which the authority/powers of the Government to frame such instructions was also questioned. The Division Bench of Delhi High Court passed an elaborate order on 9.5.2014 upholding the authority of the Government to lay down instructions/ laws for the sports bodies and dismissed the Writ Petition filed by the IOA," read a statement.

The letter said as these provisions were upheld by High Court of Delhi, these are binding on all national level federations.

Since, sports is a State subject, suitable instructions/law need to be promulgated by the state governments as well as to enforce the provisions of the NSDCI in order to bring about good governance and transparency in the functioning of all the State and District-level Associations.

This step is considered necessary for raising the level of sports in the country.