Sports Governance in India

Key Organisation in Sports Governance

• It encompasses several pivotal organizations tasked with overseeing the administration, regulation, and promotion of diverse sports
• MYAS - Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the central government body steering sports policies, funding, and infrastructure development.
• IOA - Indian Olympic Association oversees India’s participation in international multi-sport events.
• SOA - State Olympic Association
• NSF - National Sports Federation, govern specific sports disciplines, collaborating with governmental and international bodies.
• BCCI- Board of Control for Cricket in India governs Cricket.
• AIFF - All India Football Federation  manages football
• NADA - National Anti-Doping Agency oversees anti-doping efforts
• NIS - National Institute of Sports offers coaching and training.
• SAI - Sports Authority of India, the apex national sports organization, manages training centres, talent identification, and financial support for athletes.

Benefits of Sportsperson in Administration

• Domain expertise - These players have firsthand experience and deep understanding of sports.
• Better stakeholder management - Sportspersons are also often more respected by athletes and coaches, which can foster a more positive collaborative environment within sports federations.
• It enables the players from marginalized section to overcome the bureaucratic hurdles and engage directly with administration.
• Athlete welfare - Players who have risen through the ranks are more in tune with the requirements of a new player.
• They are more likely to understand the challenges faced during training and competition and prioritise the welfare of athletes.
• Superior training - An athlete-centered approach would always be handier in providing better training conditions, facilities and support systems (both mental and physical).
• Reduces favoritism – Sports person in administration reduces the influences of politicians favoring specific people.

Drawbacks of Sportsperson in Administration

• Administrative hurdles - Players who are best in sports may not be good at administration.
• Managerial position requires coordination with people who do not always move ahead with the same goal in mind.
• Skillset mismatch - Skillsets required for being an elite sportsperson and administrator are quite different.
• Decision making challenge – Differences in the decision-making approach as a sport captain and an administrator.
• Material impact of the administrative decisions takes time to yield results, unlike in game decisions.
• Lack in back-channel negotiations – Some issues in sports require back-channel negotiations in which the elite players fail to execute in and politicians handle it better.

Benefits of Politician in Administration

• Democratic Administration - They ensure the checks and balance by keeping everyone in the administration very quickly.
• Politicians in top positions have vast experience in dealing with various stakeholders of any domain.
• Resource mobilization - Politicians tend to fare better in galvanizing people, handling media and mobilising resources in getting sponsorships for the game.
• Better representation – Politicians can better represent the needs and aspirations of sports in legislature and executive committees.

Drawbacks of Politician in Administration

• Disconnected from game - Politicians are absolutely unaware of the activities going on at the ground level.
• Politicians is national sports federations and Indian Olympic Association led to mismanagement in the administration.
• Lack of player-centric approach – Detachment with players’ life in the ground tends to make them indifferent towards their problems and they rely on secondary feedback that often negatively impacting the careers of players.
• Exploiting sports system – With time, players’ and sports’ interests take back seat while financial and personal interests are given priority.
• Sports may be used for galvanising votes, rigging elections and corruption.
• Nepotism and Favoritism - Politicians tend to develop a red-tapism for their own sake.