REINING IN THE BCCI AT LAST

A new national sports law promises to make the apex cricket body subject to government scrutiny

- VIDUSHPAT SINGHANIA

The Union government's initiative to introduce the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha is a significant stride in reforming the functioning of National Sports Federations (NSFs).

While the Bill is intended to apply uniformly across all recognised NSFs, its implications are particularly pronounced in the context of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has historically repelled governmental oversight due to cricket's popularity and financial dominance. The BCCI has maintained that since it does not take any financial grant from the government, it is not subject to policies applicable to other sporting federations. This stand has met with challenges, notably in the landmark BCCI vs the Cricket Association of Bihar 2016 judgment, where the Supreme Court held that the BCCI functions due to a tacit recognition by the Government of India, and the government has the power to regulate its activities through legislation. That legislation is finally near.