The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is preparing for a major constitutional overhaul ahead of elections due by December 10, with the regulatory changes eventually set to extend to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), according to multiple reports.
A Special General Body Meeting (SGBM) on Tuesday 8 September adopted an amended IOA constitution aligned with the National Sports Governance Act 2025. The process comes as the first four-year term of the Executive Committee led by IOA President PT Usha approaches its conclusion in December 2026.
IOA prepares new framework for elections
The adoption of the revised constitution at the SGBM will now be followed by its eventual ratification by the IOA General Body. Completing those constitutional steps is required before the organisation can put its election process in place under the new statutory framework.
The changes will affect several aspects of sports administration, including the composition of governing bodies. Executive committees will be limited to a maximum of 15 members, alongside requirements covering age, tenure and cooling-off periods.
The framework also contains provisions governing the identification of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit. These requirements have created implementation challenges for some sports federations as they work to bring their own constitutions into compliance.
Sports federations begin adapting to new law
Selected provisions of the National Sports Governance Act took effect on January 1, 2026, triggering a broader transition across Indian sports administration.
While some federations have already started amending their governance frameworks, others have encountered difficulties meeting the new requirements. Restructuring executive committees to comply with the 15-member ceiling and identifying eligible Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit are among the issues facing governing bodies.
National Sports Federations and State Olympic Associations affiliated with the IOA are expected to participate in the discussions around the constitutional changes.
BCCI set to come under regulatory framework
The reforms have implications beyond India’s Olympic sports system. The BCCI is ultimately expected to come within the regulatory scope of the National Sports Governance Act despite cricket’s distinct administrative structure in India.
A central part of that transition will be the National Sports Board (NSB), which is envisaged under the legislation with powers to recognise and derecognise National Sports Federations.
Once the NSB becomes operational and the framework is fully implemented, the BCCI will be required to seek fresh recognition as a national sports body. Its future elections will also have to be conducted in accordance with the Act.
For the IOA, the immediate priority is adopting and subsequently ratifying its amended constitution before moving into an election process that must be completed by December 10.
Asian Games athlete sendoff
Following the meeting, the IOA hosted a grand send-off ceremony in New Delhi for India’s contingent heading to the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
