Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, on Friday stated that over the last one and a half years, the Central Government has laid a strong institutional foundation that clearly reflects its intent to reform Indian sports.
Dr. Mandaviya was addressing the Sports Governance Conclave organised by the Government of India, in association with the Government of Gujarat and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad. The conclave saw participation from representatives of National Sports Federations (NSFs), State Olympic Associations, and members of the IOA Executive.
Minister’s Address
In his address, the Minister highlighted the Government’s uncompromising priorities for India’s sports ecosystem, emphasizing governance reforms, competitive exposure, systematic talent identification and nurturing from grassroots to elite levels, strengthening the coaching ecosystem, and expanding private sector participation in sports infrastructure, academies, and leagues.
“Once a decision is taken, the Government has demonstrated both political will and clarity of purpose in its implementation,” he noted, citing vital initiatives like the National Sports Governance Act (NSGA), Khelo Bharat Niti, reforms in ANSF norms, and enhancements in coach recruitment systems.
Clear Position on Federations
The Minister made the Government’s position clear, asserting that persistent issues within sports federations, including internal politics, corruption, unfair selection trials, injustice to athletes, governance disputes, and financial irregularities, must now end. “For us, the athlete and the nation’s reputation are paramount,” he emphasized, mentioning that while the Government respects the autonomy of federations, there must be a commitment to integrity, transparency, and athlete-centric governance from all sporting bodies.
He stressed that the successful implementation of the NSGA would depend on the federations themselves, requiring them to ensure fair and timely elections, financial transparency, functional athlete commissions, ethics commissions, and strict compliance with governance norms.
Professional Approach Encouraged
Calling for a professional and future-oriented approach, the Minister urged every federation to prepare a clear roadmap for the next 1, 3, 5, and 10 years. He underscored the necessity for sports bodies to be professionally managed, with qualified CEOs, financial experts, marketing professionals, international-level coaches, and specialized operations teams.
Dr. Mandaviya also announced that the Government would soon introduce key policy initiatives, including transparent and standardized selection trials, the “One Corporate, One Sport” model, and improved athlete welfare packages.
Investment in Sports Science
Highlighting the significant public investment being made in sports science, nutrition, injury management, and high-performance support, he called upon federations to align with the Government’s pace and ambitions.
Reiterating India’s long-term sporting vision, the Minister declared that achieving a Top-10 finish in the Olympic medal tally is a non-negotiable national goal, underlining the critical role of National Sports Federations and State Olympic Associations in achieving this objective.
“Performance must show consistent improvement in every major international competition, beginning with the Asian Games 2026. The Commonwealth Games 2030 should emerge as a landmark success for India, both as hosts and as a sporting powerhouse,” he stated.
Dr. Mandaviya described the present phase as the ‘golden period of Indian Sports’ and concluded with a strong message of accountability: “History will remember what we achieve now, and it will not forgive what we fail to do.”