‘People Turn To Courts After Election Losses,’ Says Mandaviya, Slams NSFs Over Needless Litigation

The idea came up during a meeting between Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and representatives of the National Sports🦩 Federations to take stock of India's preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"If you are fully compliant with the good governance provisions than you get your entire share but if it is not the case then there could be cuts when such a system comes into effect. But it is only an idea under consideration as of now," a source in the sports ministry told PTI.

"The implementation can greatly improve transparꦦency and performa��nce of the NSFs," the source added.

Though not entirely funded by the ministry, the NSFs are financially supported by it in not just the organisation of national, zonal and international competitions but also the conduct of training camps (both at home and abroad), salaries of coaches and other support staff, besides the allowances and grants given to athletes for individual training.

The draft sports bill, which is expected to be tabled in the Parliament soon, proposes the establishment of Ethics Commissions and Dispute Resolution Commissions to ensure transparency ℱin governance.

It also adv๊ocates the constitution of a Sports Regulatory Board for granting recognition to NSFs and ensuring compliance with the highest governance, financial, and ethical standards. 

The regulatory board is currently a bone of contention with the Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha saying that it undermines IOA and could be perceiꩲved as government interference by the Int♔ernational Olympic Committee.

Avoid Legal Battles With Athletes

The minister firmly told federation officials to avoid getting inv✃olved in legal battles with athletes. He also highlighted the infighting within some🅘 NSFs over election results. 

"The elections need to be transparent. People have a habit of going to courts if they have lost the elections, on the other hand there are many individuals who keep sticking tౠo their posts. This should not happen as it creates problems for our athletes," Mandaviya was quoted as saying in a press release by the ministry.

A recent𒁃 instance of athletes getting affected by ✱litigation was the fiasco in wrestling when the ministry had to step in and clear the way for the grapplers' participation in the world championship.

This was after the federation withdrew from the tournament owing to a court case over its locus standi to manage the sport, prompting the affected wrestlers to﷽ protest outside Madaviya's residence.

"If we want to ജhost the 2036 Olympics and improve our medal tally in LA 2028, all𒐪 stakeholders will have to pool in their resources and efforts. We have to think of the nation first, the athletes represent the country and not an organisation," Mandaviya told the NSF representatives.

An NSF official, who was present in the meeting, s🌜aid the minister did not mince words while laying down his priorities.

"He said 'we are not here for politics. I have a roadmap, I am not going into the riffle-raffles of the federations and there will be no compromise on the promotion of the game," the offi♈cial revealed.

"He said he will be very stern and there will be no compromise on the roadmap for t🍒he execution of schemes for sportspersons," he ad💛ded.

Coaching For Coaches

Man💫daviya also spoke about improving the quality of Indian🌠 coaches through international exposure and that a plan was in the works "to realise this goal".

It is also learnt that Mandaviya came down heavily on a Badminton Association of India secretary Sanjay Mishra for suggesting that alternat🌌ive venues will be explored for the just-concluded India Open after a Danish player, Mia Blichfeldt, c🧜omplained that the venue in Delhi was unhygienic and left her severely ill.

"Such a statement was not required and this was conveyed, we ꦫcan always improve but there was no need to be this defensive," the source said.