Sports Code

Context:  The sports administration in India was in the headlines frequently these past few weeks all for the wrong reasons.

• Both the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) face potential ban/suspension if elections to the executive body are not done immediately.
• A seven-member delegation of the world football governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation had come to the country last month for a meeting with the Committee of Administrators (CoA).
• The CoA was entrusted with the running of football by the Supreme Court after the executive committee of the AIFF was dissolved for violating the Central government’s sports code.
• Hockey India has also come under scrutiny by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for the delay in conducting elections.

What is the Sports Code?

• The Sports Code, or National Sports Development Code of India to be precise, was introduced in 2011 by the Central government, which wanted good governance practices in the management of sports at the national level without interfering in the autonomy of the national sports bodies.
• It was widely accepted that such a sports code was needed as it was felt that most of the sports federations had become personal fiefdoms of certain individuals — many of them politicians — as they continued to remain in power for long periods.
• The National Spots Code laid down restrictions regarding age and tenure.

What happens when a sports body is found to be in violation of the Sports Code?

• The respective federations can be put under a CoA.
• That is what happened with the football and hockey associations.
• The Supreme Court had appointed a three-member CoA led by former Supreme Court judge A.R. Dave to run the AIFF, whose President Praful Patel had to resign.
• On similar lines, the Delhi High Court observed that the Sports Code was violated by Hockey India and a CoA was formed to run the game’s administration in India.

Previous instances

• In February, the Delhi High court appointed Gita Mittal as the chairperson of the CoA to run the Table Tennis Federation of India, which was suspended following an inquiry into the match-fixing allegations raised by one of India’s leading players.
• In 2017, the Supreme Court had appointed a CoA to implement the reforms in the administration of cricket in the country suggested by the Justice R.M. Lodha committee.

Source: The Hindu

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Which one of the following statements best describes the ‘Polar Code’? (2022)

1. It is the international code of safety for ships operating in polar waters.
2. It is the agreement of the countries around the North Pole regarding the demarcation of their territories in the polar region.
3. It is a set of norms to be followed by the countries whose scientists undertake research studies In the North Pole and South Pole.
4. It is a trade and security agreement of the member countries of the Arctic Council.