Mandaviya says National Sports Governance Bill a step towards Olympic ambitions

New Delhi | Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the National Sports Governance Bill were key reforms aimed at building a transparent, accountable and world-class sports ecosystem in India as the country eyes a bid for hosting the Olympics.

Speaking during a discussion in the Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said the government has made "several attempts" to bring forward the sports governance legislation. Preparations must be "at the highest level of excellence by international standards", he underlined.

He added, "In the coming days, when India is going to bid for the Olympics, it is important that our sports ecosystem is robust, transparent and accountable. This is a crucial step in that direction." The minister said sports have been a part of Indian tradition "for centuries, often in the form of warfare", but after independence, the sector did not receive the attention it deserved.

"Despite being such a large country, our performance at the Olympic Games and on the international stage has not been satisfactory and this Bill aims to build India's sports capacity," he said.

The opposition members were not present in the House initially, but as the debate continued, they came to the House and raised slogans.