We told you about Sports Laws and Entertainment Laws as a career option in India. Today we focus on Sports Laws in India and the issues it faces.
Sports in India is a highly popular affair and every Indian city, village, town and locality is an active participant in a variety of sports, making sports one of the most common elements which binds us together.
But being present on a large scale, in various forms and varieties, one of the major problems with sports in India is the necessity of concrete Sports Laws. The high competition, millions and billions of Rupees present in Sports via sponsorships and franchises, sports becoming a commodity that is being exploited via advertisements are some of the principal reasons why sports cannot simply be termed as a pastime or source of entertainment.
Globalization and popularization have made sport a business affair and there is nothing wrong with that. But it must also be taken into consideration that sports is after all a mode of recreation which many people across our nation wish to be a part of and make a living out of it. Not governing it via laws may result in some people trying to exploit sports, especially since it is a highly profitable field at present. The act of sporting has become like any other economic activity and the absence of laws will make it vulnerable and open to exploitation. Scams related to prestigious sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games, IPL, Olympic Games Bidding etc have come out in the open and proved the vulnerability of the field. Hence the presence of strong laws to govern and ensure smooth and clean functioning of sports is necessarily recommended.
– Sports Laws in India might look like an all popular affair from above, but close observance leads us to conclude different opinions. Sport in India is affected by a string of major problems and the presence of strong sports laws is welcomed in order to eradicate these problems from the vicinity of sports. The issues faced by us need to be looked at seriously and then solved using the mechanism of a strong sport law.– The policy of Indian Sports and the issues of Labor have been a troubling one for quite some time now and need urgent attention. There are numerous sports bodies present throughout India and each of them tend to execute their own laws, in the process forgetting the Labor issues that are predominant part of the sport.Poor wages, illegal termination of contracts, exploitation on the basis of working hours are all present in sporting corners of our nation. Common sport laws addressing the labor issues of sportsmen would help bring an end to all these nuisances and ensure fair play, literally.– As mentioned earlier, sport in India has become a money making machine and a number of people have a tendency to exploit sport for their own monetary gains. Government bodies in association with private agencies have made a lot of money over the last few years and due to the absence of a concrete sport law, they have not been responsible enough to be accountable. Breach of contracts and agreements, not providing records of expenditure have become common amongst both state and regional sports boards. A strong sport law will ensure that board and clubs are unable to engage in such activities from now on.– Issues related to harassment, especially of women athletes is a matter of concern and shame as far as Indian sports is concerned.Protecting the rights of sportspersons should be the ultimate aim of any sporting law as there are the people responsible for sporting recreation and entertainment. Harassment of sportsmen should be punished according to the Sporting laws and a strong sports law is required for the purpose.– The issue of broadcasting is a highly important one as we come across news reports regularly regarding the problems related to broadcasting of sports. While sporting events like Cricket and Football tend to find favorable broadcasters, lesser watched sports such as Kabaddi, Boxing, Hockey, Wrestling etc struggle with broadcasting rights and have to settle for underpaid broadcasts which they do not deserve. A strong and committed Sporting law will ensure proper and unexploited broadcasting rights for a majority of sports played throughout the nation. Proper Broadcasting will also ensure that a large number of people get visual access to all kinds of sporting events held throughout the country, resulting in the benefit of sports itself.
Barring the above mentioned issues, the world of Indian sports faces problems in the mode of performance enhancement drug usage by athletes in order to do well, corruption amongst sporting boards and committee members, absence of proper organization, inability to look after retired sportsmen and several others. A set of proper sporting laws will ensure that all these issues and problems are taken care of and sport becomes a respected and well governed mode of national recreation. The ultimate aim of any type of law is to make sure that the society functions properly under its shadows. The creation of a set of proper sporting laws will also try and aim to do the same.
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the necessity for robust Sports Laws in India amidst the commercialization and exploitation of sports. It highlights crucial issues such as labor rights, financial transparency, harassment, and broadcasting disparities. Implementing strong laws is imperative to ensure fair play, protect athletes’ rights, and uphold the integrity of sports.