There is no dearth of drama among India’s sports federations. At least 12 national federations are in a state of turmoil for reasons ranging from factional fighting to questionable governance practices. This is despite the government’s announcement of the National Sports Governance Act last August and its rules this January. In some cases, the sports ministry has admitted the shortcomings and asked the Indian Olympic Association to form for this committees to govern several sports in the country.
The case of the Judo Federation of India stands out. Although the Delhi High Court had appointed a judicial administrator for the body in 2022, its constitution was not finalized and elections were not held for more than three years. It forced the court to direct the administrator to complete the election under the new law and rules. Judo is not alone in such a mess. The same court ordered the IOA to form an interim committee to oversee the Equestrian Federation, another body with a court-appointed observer.
What seems even more surprising is that the sports ministry seems to have woken up just months before the Commonwealth Games starting in July and the Asian Games in September. The Karate Federation is one such case. India could not be represented in the sport at the last Asian Games because the World Karate Federation did not recognize the Indian entity. This time the sports ministry is making a belated effort. Handball is another federation whose recognition is controversial.
