Bindra-led task force flags major gaps in Indian sports administration

The report on Indian sports administration was prepared by a nine-member Task Force led by Abhinav Bindra , India’s Olympic gold medallist. Bindra was not just a member of the group, he was the chairperson and head of the Task Force , responsible for guiding its work and framing its recommendations.

The Task Force was formed by the Sports Ministry in August 2025 to study how sports in India are managed and to suggest reforms. Apart from Bindra, the team included eight other experts , such as senior sports administrators Adille Sumariwala and former Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) CEO Cdr. Rajesh Rajagopalan. Together, these nine members examined the functioning of sports bodies at the national and state levels.

The Task Force closely studied institutions like the Sports Authority of India (SAI) , National Sports Federations (NSFs) , and state sports departments . It found that India does not have a strong, professional system for managing sports. Many administrative roles are handled by general government officers or temporary staff who do not have specialised knowledge of sports governance. This has led to weak planning, slow decision-making, and poor coordination between different bodies.

One major issue highlighted was that athletes are not properly trained to move into governance roles after retirement. Although new laws will make athlete representation mandatory in sports federations, most former athletes lack skills in leadership, finance, and administration. The report pointed out that successful sports nations train athletes for such roles, citing examples like Sebastian Coe and Thomas Bach.

The Task Force also found serious governance problems in National Sports Federations. In many federations, too much power is concentrated in the hands of the president. There is often little transparency, limited accountability, and no full-time professional CEOs to manage daily operations. This weakens the execution of high-performance programs and slows overall progress.

To fix these problems, the Bindra-led panel recommended setting up a National Council for Sports Education and Capacity Building . This body would train and certify sports administrators, including athletes and IAS officers. The report also suggested adding sports governance training to civil service academies so future bureaucrats better understand the sports sector.

After receiving the report, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya promised that all recommendations would be implemented , signalling a major effort to overhaul India’s sports administration system and make it more professional, efficient, and athlete-focused.