India supports sports bill, bids for Olympics

New Delhi

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has ended a long internal conflict by officially appointing Raghuram Iyer as its CEO. His appointment had been on hold since January 2024 due to disagreements over his salary of ₹20 lakh per month and other perks. The matter was resolved after Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya intervened.

Alongside Iyer’s appointment, the IOA has also set up a seven-member anti-doping panel. This follows concerns raised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) about India’s rising doping cases during a recent visit to Lausanne. Former tennis player Rohit Rajpal will head the panel, with Aparna Popat and sports medicine expert P.S.M. Chandran as members.

India had the highest number of positive cases in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2023 report among countries testing over 5,000 samples, with a 3.8% positivity rate.

The IOA also welcomed the new National Sports Bill, which was recently tabled in Parliament. Earlier opposed by the IOA, the bill is now seen as a move to improve coordination among sports bodies. Once passed, it will create a National Sports Board that will oversee recognition and funding of national sports federations.

IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey said the bill ensures that international federation rules will take priority in case of any conflict with local rules. He stressed that the bill should not be viewed as government interference but rather as cooperation among all stakeholders.

India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad, making these reforms crucial for the nation’s international sporting image.