NEW DELHI: An ‘All India Council of Sports’ has been set up by the Government to – among other things - popularise sports amongst the youth as a way of life and increasing outreach of sports to rural and tribal areas, areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, North East and Jammu & Kashmir.

The council will be an advisory body for the Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry but its advice will not be binding and obligatory. The council will organise national, international conferences, seminars, symposia etc, for promotion of sports and games in the country.

The Council will be headed by a president in the rank of Minister of State and will include four Members of Parliament, sports personalities, coaches, sports experts, sports administrators, DG SAI, DG NADA, Vice Chancellor of LNIPE, officials from Sports Ministry, representatives from National Sports Federations, Indian Olympic Association, corporate bodies and NGOs. Appointments of the president and members of the Council other than ex-officio members shall be made by the Government.

The Council will meet from time to time, at least once in a quarter, and deliberate on matters relating to the promotion and development of sports and games in the country. 

Among other things, the Council will ensure implementation of policies for promotion of sports and games in the country; deal with matters relating to promotion of inclusiveness in sports with special focus on women, differently-abled, tribals etc; preventing drug abuse in sports, fraud of age and sexual harassment of women in sports; bringing professionalism, transparency and good governance in functioning of National Sports Federations; find ways and means to raise resources for the promotion of sports and games in the country; promotion of sports sciences and sports medicine; augment sports infrastructure and ensuring its proper utilization; deal with matters relating to participation and performance of sportspersons and teams in international sporting events and issues arising out of match fixing and other malpractices in competitive sports; find  ways and means to promote indigenous games in the country; early identification of sports talent and nurturing of the identified talent; integration of sports in educational curriculum in schools, colleges and universities; and suggest welfare measures for sportspersons.