Chapter IV THE GOVERNANCE OF RECOGNISED SPORTS ORGANISATIONS

1. (1) The Board shall have the power to grant Board recognition to any sports organisation as a National Sports Body.
2. (2) Any sports organisation desirous of obtaining Board recognition as a National Sports Body under this section shall apply to the Board in such form and manner and containing such particulars, as may be specified by regulations.
3. (3) No sports organisation shall be recognised under sub-section (1) unless such organisation,---
   • (a) is a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) or under the Societies Registration Act of a State; or
   • (b) is a not-for-profit company incorporated under section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013); or
   • (c) is a trust created under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (2 of 1882) or under the Trusts Act of a State; and
   • (d) complies with such other criteria and conditions as may be specified by regulations and having the sole object of the development of sports.
4. (4) The Board recognition granted under this section shall be renewed periodically at such intervals and in accordance with such procedure as may be specified by regulations.
5. (5) All sports organisations recognised as National Sports Bodies by the Central Government before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to have Board recognition under this Act and the provisions of this Act shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to such organisation.
6. (6) All affiliate units of National Sports Bodies shall ensure that they are registered with the Board, subject to such conditions and in such manner, as may be prescribed.
7. (7) The Board, subject to the prior approval of the Central Government, shall also have the power to recognise sports organisations participating in sports governance, athlete support and welfare, as National Sports Promotion Organisation.
8. (8) The eligibility criteria for Board recognition and the manner of governance and functioning of the National Sports Promotion Organisations shall be such as may be specified by regulations: Provided that a National Sports Promotion Organisation recognised by the Central Government before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to have been recognised as such under this Act and the provisions of this Act shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to such organisation: Provided further that the Board recognition granted under this sub-section shall be renewed periodically at such intervals and in accordance with such procedure as may be specified by regulations.

The Board may, either on its own motion, or in response to complaint received from any person or body on matters affecting the welfare of sportspersons or the development of sports in the country or misuse of public funds, conduct an inquiry where it is satisfied that there is a reasonable cause so to do: Provided that no such complaint shall be entertained unless the complainant has exhausted all available remedies with the National Sports Body or its affiliate units: Provided further that the Board may entertain such complaint if it is satisfied that accessing those remedies would result in unnecessary delay or unreasonable prejudice.

1. (1) The Board may, either on its own motion, or on the receipt of a complaint by an aggrieved party, by order, suspend or cancel the Board recognition of a sports organisation as a National Sports Body or registration of an affiliate unit of a National Sports Body, in any of the following circumstances, namely:---
   • (a) the international recognition of the concerned National Sports Body has been suspended or cancelled by the concerned International Sports Body;
   • (b) the concerned affiliate unit has been suspended or disaffiliated by the concerned National Sports Body;
   • (c) the National Sports Body has violated any of the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder, including eligibility criteria or terms and conditions of the Board recognition;
   • (d) the Registrar of Companies or the Registrar of Societies of the concerned sports organisation has reported gross irregularities in the internal functioning or removed the name of the National Sports Body or its affiliate units;
   • (e) the National Sports Body or the affiliate unit has---
     • (i) failed to hold elections for its Executive Committee or has committed gross irregularities in the election procedures thereof; or
     • (ii) failed to publish its annual audited accounts; or
     • (iii) has misused, misapplied or misappropriated any public funds: Provided that the suspension or disaffiliation referred to in clause (a) and clause (b) shall be co-terminus with the suspension or disaffiliation by the concerned International Sports Body or the National Sports Body, as the case may be, which may be extended by the Board, for reasons to be recorded in writing, for such further period as the Board may consider necessary.
2. (2) Before issuing an order of suspension or cancellation of Board recognition or registration under sub-section (1), the Board shall consult the concerned---
   • (a) International Sports Body, where such suspension or cancellation of Board recognition concerns the National Sports Federation or the Regional Sports Federation;
   • (b) National Sports Federation or the Regional Sports Federation, where such suspension or cancellation of registration concerns any affiliate unit, and upon such consultation, take any of the following measures, namely:---
     • (i) issue an order, directing the National Sports Body or its affiliate unit, to take such action as is appropriate to correct the deficiency and upon compliance, the Board may make a finding of compliance; or
     • (ii) conduct a hearing by giving reasonable opportunity to the parties to present their case before pronouncing its decision.
3. (3) An appeal against any order of the Board for suspension or cancellation of Board recognition or registration under this section shall lie with the Tribunal.

1. (1) In the event of loss of the international recognition of a National Sports Body, the normalisation process shall be implemented as per the International Charters and Statutes and the Board shall not interfere in such process.
2. (2) In the absence of the normalisation process referred to in sub-section (1) on the loss of international recognition of a National Sports Body, or in the event of cancellation or suspension of Board recognition of a National Sports Body under section 10, where the loss of recognition concern---
   • (a) a National Olympic Committee or a National Paralympic Committee, the Board may constitute an ad hoc administrative body in consultation with the International Olympic Committee or the International Paralympic Committee, as the case may be;
   • (b) a National Sports Federation, the Board may, in consultation with the concerned International Federation, wherever applicable, direct the National Olympic Committee to constitute an ad hoc administrative body;
   • (c) a Regional Sports Federation, the Board may in consultation with the concerned International Federation, if any, constitute an ad hoc administrative body.
3. (3) In the event of cancellation or suspension of Board recognition or registration of an affiliate unit of a National Sports Body under section 10,---
   • (a) where the cancellation or suspension of Board recognition or registration, concerns a State sports federation, the Board may direct the concerned National Sports Federation or the Regional Sports Federation; and
   • (b) where the cancellation or suspension of Board recognition or registration, concerns a district sports federation, the Board may direct the concerned State sports federation, to constitute an ad hoc administrative body consisting of such members as may be determined by the Board in consultation with the National Sports Body or the concerned affiliate State unit, as the case may be.
4. (4) The ad hoc administrative body shall be responsible for administering the concerned sports body or its affiliate units to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act.
5. (5) The ad hoc administrative body referred to in sub-section (2) shall consist of a maximum of five eminent sports administrators, who have previously held the office of a President or a Secretary General or a Treasurer of a National Sports Body or who is or has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee, having no past association with the sports discipline or any conflict of interest: Provided that no person shall be part of more than one ad hoc administrative body at the same time.