Good Governance and Ethical Practices in Indian Sports Federations: A Comparative Analysis

Mismanagement and issues with legitimacy within national and international sports organizations have made ‘Governance’ an increasingly important subject in the world of sports. Some of the Indian sports federations have had to justify their actions to interested parties due to similar difficulties. With an emphasis on social responsibility, democratic processes, internal accountability, and transparency, this study aims to assess and compare the governance practices of four significant Indian sports federations, namely the All-India Football Federation, the Athletic Federation of India, the Badminton Association of India, and the Boxing Federation of India. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the level of good governance and ethical practices within these federations using a structured benchmarking approach. The main research question guiding this study is: "To what extent do Indian National Sports Federations comply with key governance principles such as transparency, democracy, accountability, and societal responsibility?" This study utilized the National Sports Governance Observer (NSGO) as a tool for benchmarking and measuring governance principles in the National Sports Federations. The findings show that although the federations largely adhere to the 46 principles of good governance, there are still areas where they fall short, particularly in democracy and accountability. The governance procedures of these federations are consistent with those observed in previous international studies, indicating both their strengths and weaknesses in the global sports environment. Keyword: Good Governance, Good Governance in Indian Sport Federations, Principles of Good Governance, India