PRELIMINARYCentral
Section 2 of The National Sports Governance Act, 2025
- (1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,---
- (a)"ad hoc administrative body" means a body constituted for ad hoc administration under section 11;
- (b)"affiliate unit" means the State, district or other units of,---
- (i)the National Olympic Committee;
- (ii)the National Paralympic Committee;
- (iii)the National Sports Federation; and
- (iv)the Regional Sports Federation;
- (c)"Athletes Committee", "Disputes Resolution Committee", "Ethics Committee" and "Executive Committee", by whatever name called, means the "Athletes Committee", "Disputes Resolution Committee", "Ethics Committee" and "Executive Committee", respectively, of a National Sports Body;
- (d)"Board" means the National Sports Board established under sub-section (1) of section 5;
- (e)"Board recognition" means recognition of a sports organisation by the Board under this Act;
- (f)"bye-laws" means the memorandum of association or articles of association, by whatever name called, of a sports organisation;
- (g)"designated sport" means any sport discipline as may be specified by the Central Government, by notification, to be a designated sport for a specific region or State or for the whole of India;
- (h)"International Charters and Statutes" means the Olympic Charter and other Charters and Statutes of the international sports governing bodies and include any bye-laws, rules, regulations or constitution, by whatever name called, as may be adopted, amended or issued by such bodies from time to time;
- (i)"International Federation" means---
- (A)a federation recognised as such by the International Olympic Committee in respect of an Olympic sport; or
- (B)a federation recognised as such by the International Paralympic Committee in respect of a Paralympic sport; or
- (C)a federation which regulates the sport at international level in respect of non-Olympic or non-Paralympic sports;
- (j)"International Olympic Committee" means the governing body for the Olympic Games;
- (k)"International Paralympic Committee" means the governing body for the Paralympic Games;
- (l)"international recognition" means the recognition of a national sports governing body by the concerned international sports governing body;
- (m)"International Sports Body" means an international sports governing body such as the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee or International Federation or a continental governing body for sports;
- (n)"National Olympic Committee" means the National Olympic Committee established under section 3 as a national sports governing body and recognised as the National Olympic Committee of India by the International Olympic Committee;
- (o)"National Paralympic Committee" means the National Paralympic Committee established under section 3 as a national sports governing body and recognised as the National Paralympic Committee of India by the International Paralympic Committee;
- (p)"National Sports Body" means a national sports governing body such as the National Olympic Committee or the National Paralympic Committee or the National Sports Federation or the Regional Sports Federation, established under section 3;
- (q)"National Sports Election Panel" means the National Sports Election Panel notified under section 16 to oversee the conduct of free and fair elections to the Executive Committee and the Athletes Committee of the National Sports Bodies;
- (r)"National Sports Federation" means a National Sports Federation established under section 3 as a national sports governing body for a designated sport;
- (s)"National Sports Promotion Organisation" means a sports organisation or body contributing towards the development of sports, such as talent identification and their nurturing, policy advocacy relating to sports administration or welfare and recognised by the Board under sub-section (7) of section 8;
- (t)"notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression "notify" or "notified", shall be construed accordingly;
- (u)"prescribed" means prescribed by rules made by the Central Government under this Act;
- (v)"recognised sports organisation" means a sports organisation recognised by the Board as a National Sports Body under sub-section (1) of section 8;
- (w)"Regional Sports Federation" means a Regional Sports Federation established under section 3 as national sports governing body for a designated sport;
- (x)"regulations" means regulations made by the Board under this Act;
- (y)"Secretary General" means the Secretary General or the Secretary of a National Sports Body;
- (z)"sportsperson of outstanding merit" means a sportsperson referred to in the proviso to clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 4;
- (za)"State" means a State specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution and includes a Union territory;
- (zb)"Tribunal" means the National Sports Tribunal constituted under sub-section (1) of section 17.
Summary
- This section explains the exact meaning of specific terms used throughout the law to avoid confusion.
- It defines an ad hoc administrative body as a temporary group formed under Section 11 to manage a sports organization in a crisis.
- It clarifies that the Board refers specifically to the National Sports Board created under Section 5.
- It defines National Sports Bodies to include the Olympic committee, Paralympic committee, and sports federations established under Section 3.
Practical examples
1A journalist writing about the suspension of the archery federation checks Section 2 to understand that the temporary managers appointed are officially called an ad hoc administrative body.
2A lawyer reading about the Board penalizing a club uses Section 2 to confirm that Board strictly means the National Sports Board, not a local or state committee.
FAQ
1. Does the term Board mean any sports board in the country?
No, it specifically means the National Sports Board set up under Section 5.
2. What organizations count as a National Sports Body?
It includes the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations, and Regional Sports Federations.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 2 of The National Sports Governance Act, 2025, how is an ad hoc administrative body defined in relation to Section 11?
Q2.Under Section 2 of The National Sports Governance Act, 2025, which specific entity does the term Board refer to, as cross-referenced with Section 5?
Q3.Under Section 2 of The National Sports Governance Act, 2025, what entities fall under the definition of a National Sports Body as established in Section 3?
Q4.Under Section 2 of The National Sports Governance Act, 2025, what defines an International Federation?