Gagan Narang Welcomes Athlete-Focused Sports Governance Bill

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Olympian Gagan Narang praised the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, for introducing long-needed reforms that prioritize athletes’ welfare and accountability in Indian sports administration.

Renowned Indian shooter and Olympic bronze medalist Gagan Narang has endorsed the National Sports Governance Bill, 2025, calling it a positive step toward strengthening the country’s sporting institutions. Speaking on the draft legislation, Narang emphasized its focus on athlete welfare, transparency, and ethical governance elements often missing in India’s sports ecosystem.

The bill proposes a series of structural changes aligned with international standards, particularly the Olympic Charter and the Paralympic Charter. These include the formation of independent Athletes’ Commissions. These measures aim to ensure that active and former athletes play a direct role in shaping policies that affect their careers.

Narang also expressed approval of the bill’s provision to establish a Sports Ethics Board and a Sports Regulatory Authority of India. These bodies would monitor financial conduct, internal disputes, and code-of-conduct compliance within federations, crucial for maintaining institutional integrity and restoring public trust in sports bodies.

The legislation also calls for greater accountability from powerful sports bodies, such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which would now fall under the same oversight framework as other federations. This proposal has been lauded by various athlete representatives and former administrators who see it as a step toward creating uniform governance across sports.

Narang concluded by stating that reforms such as these are essential if India is serious about becoming a global sporting powerhouse. “This bill makes me optimistic about the future of Indian sports. It’s athlete-centric and governance-focused, exactly what we need right now,” he said.

The bill has completed its consultation phase and will now move to parliamentary review. If passed, it could mark a turning point in how sports are administered in India, with an emphasis on integrity, inclusion, and a renewed focus on the athlete as the centerpiece of sporting policy.