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Sports Law in India: Navigating the Legal Landscape
- Smital Desai & Samruddhi Bhosale
Sports law in India is a dynamic and evolving Several key authorities oversee and regulate
field that pertains to the legal aspects of sports in India, including:
sporting activities within the country. It deals • Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports: The
with a wide range of legal issues involving central governing body responsible for
players, teams, managers, and affiliated policy and regulation of sports activities in
entities. This area of law encompasses India.
traditional legal domains such as contract • National Sports Federations: These
law, trademark law, tort law, and various organizations govern various sports and set
others. the guidelines for their administration.
• Sports Law and Welfare Association of
Is There Legislation Governing Sports Law in India: A body dedicated to addressing legal
India? issues and ensuring welfare in sports.
India, interestingly, does not have a dedicated • Sports Authority of India: Primarily
sports law. Sports falls under the concurrent responsible for the development of sports
list of the Indian Constitution, which means and the training of athletes.
that both the Union and State legislatures • Specific governing bodies for individual
have the authority to formulate laws related team sports, such as the Board of Control
to sports. As a result, sports law in India is for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian
primarily covered by existing legislation, Hockey Federation.
most notably the Indian Contracts Act.
Case: Cricket Association of Bihar vs. BCCI
Within the ambit of sports law, various critical A significant legal case that exemplifies
issues are addressed, including: the complex interplay of sports and the
• Contracts between sports players and law is the Cricket Association of Bihar v.
other parties. Board of Control for Cricket in India & Anr.
• Doping policies and regulations. In this case, the Cricket Association of Bihar
• Addressing harassment and misconduct challenged amendments made by the
in the realm of sports. BCCI, which allowed commercial interests
• Legal implications of sports-related injuries in the organized T20 cricket tournament,
and liability. seemingly benefiting Mr. N. Srinivasan, the
• Tort law as it applies to sports and athletes. BCCI’s president at the time.
• Broadcasting rights and contractual The Supreme Court upheld the appeal,
agreements. asserting that the BCCI performs “public
• Managing conflicts of interest related to functions,” subjecting its activities to
player endorsements. principles of fairness and good faith. The
• Legal considerations surrounding court even deemed the office bearers of
endorsements and advertising in the sports such sports bodies as “public servants.”
industry. Recognizing the inherent conflict of
• Intellectual property rights protection interest in the BCCI’s amendment allowing
within the sports sector. commercial interests in its administration, the
• Safeguarding the rights of athletes and Supreme Court appointed a three-member
players. committee known as the Lodha Committee
• Who Are the Authorities for Sports in India? to investigate the BCCI’s operations and
the role of President N. Srinivasan in alleged
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