INTRODUCTION
The athletic profession is built on physical performance as well as sponsorships and institutions supporting the athlete through fair contracts.[1] The role of an athlete extends beyond that of a participant in competitive sport. For a long time, however, most focus has been placed on the political, administrative and governance issues surrounding the federation rather than on athletes themselves. The vulnerability of athletes in the current system is demonstrated by instances of late payments, inadequate medical care, unregulated contracts, doping disputes, and inadequate grievance redressal procedures. Although India has made recent attempts to establish formal governance structures for sport through legislation and policy initiatives, the protection of Athletes’ Rights continues to depend primarily on uncoordinated regulatory regimes,[2] litigation, and individual Federation policies and processes.
This blog evaluates the adequacy of legal protection for athletes in India, the issues they face, and what changes are needed to create a sports environment that supports the rights of athletes in an environment and culture based on equality of opportunity for athletes and their families.
WHAT ARE ATHLETE RIGHTS?
These are mainly the groups of athlete rights:
- Safe training and competition environment
- Fair pay, sponsorship and commercial opportunities.
- Medical care, harassment prevention, and mental health support services.
- Contracts, dispute resolution services and career protection.
Since no single athlete’s rights code exists, the application of athletes’ rights will be different by state, sport and federation.[3]
CONTRACTUAL EXPLOITATION & CAREER SECURITY ISSUES
The majority of the time, the athlete does not have an equal exchange with either the federation, club or sponsor in terms of the contract they sign. As a result, athletes may end up with a contract that lacks transparency, has ambiguous payment structures, and/or lacks fair termination provisions.[4] There have been instances where athletes have sued due to having their prize money not being paid in a timely manner and/or having their salaries withheld. This is indicative of the need for standard contractual protections for athletes. Institutional legal support is essential for providing assistance to athletes, as without it, the athlete faces many barriers to securing and enforcing his or her rights. The establishment of standard contractual protections for athletes is therefore a priority for reform.[5]
DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND JUDICIAL INTERVENTION
Federations have jurisdiction regarding the resolution of disputes involving sport; however, internal dispute resolution mechanisms are sometimes considered to be biased and lack independence. As a result of various factors, including the high cost, time-consuming nature of litigation, and unfriendly atmosphere for athletes, more and more athletes are turning to the courts and/or arbitration to seek redress for their grievances.[6] Judicial action is generally undertaken reactively instead of proactively, which indicates a need for the establishment of stronger independent sport tribunals.
HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE OF ATHLETES
Supporting athletes’ health and safety in the long term through sport will be the basis for keeping athletes involved with sport over time. In India, however, the health and welfare systems for athletes are generally reactive and thus fragmented, in that they do not function until the need for them arises due to an injury or some other crisis.[7] This means that there are many athletes who are training without the benefit of having access to trained medical professionals, certified strength and conditioning coaches, licensed physiotherapists, and nutritionists, as would normally be expected. Sports are challenging both physically and psychologically, and if athletes do not receive adequate medical support to prevent long-term physical damage or career-ending injuries, there are chances for both issues to arise, as well as burnout, stress and depression, or sexual harassment. In addition, there are many sports organisations that don’t have systems in place to effectively manage all of these issues.[8] While programs such as the National Sports Governance Act of 2025 are intended to promote the development of organized administration of Sports, there is currently no particularized framework at the National level that mandates that an Association provide Safety Procedures, Insurance and Mental Health Support for its Participants. These components – Access to Medical Insurance, Fundamental Rehabilitation Requirements, Safe Playing Conditions and Access to Support Services – are all critical components of a Welfare-Oriented Sports Environment.[9] A national framework outlining safety protocols and insurance coverage for mental health does not exist; however, a document such as the National Sports Governance Act is in place to promote organised administration of sport. Furthermore, a fair and equitable sport environment also consists of several other essential elements: Medical Insurance Access, Minimum Rehabilitation Requirements, a Safe Environment, and a Psychological Support System. Therefore, athletes are also provided with these types of protections when going through their Preparation Period and transitioning from elite sport back to life outside of sport. The sports welfare framework should outline how coaches and players are trained to ensure a high standard of coaching/training and provide a strong support structure for mental health. In addition to providing support for athletes while competing, support and protection should also extend to athletes in transition to post-career life.
GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES & NEED FOR STRUCTURED LAW
Contract violation, non-payment of salary, unfair selection process, sponsorship dispute, and disciplinary action are common examples of Sports Disputes. Sports Federations in India are typically the primary arbitrators of these types of disputes within their organisations, but these organisations are not independent and transparent, which results in accusations of bias and a lack of impartiality.[10] Often not all athletes, have equal bargaining power, so many are unwilling to confront federations for fear of the repercussions to their careers. Recently, when internal channels fail, athletes tend to file lawsuits in civil court or pursue claims through High Courts pursuant to Article 226.[11] The downside of litigation, however, is that it is expensive and time-consuming and presents a significant obstacle for many young or under-resourced athletes.
INTERNATIONAL MODELS FOR REFORM
The Athlete Charter established by Australia & Canada will help to ensure fair treatment of Athletes through Contractual Equity within sporting contracts and protections for Athlete Welfare.[12] The IOC Athlete Rights and Responsibilities Declaration (2018) affirms the principles of Non-Discrimination, Protection from Abuse, Fair & Equitable Compensation, and Protection of Personal Data. Adopting a similar model in India would allow for the incorporation of international norms/standards (Best Practices) into the governance of Sport in India. [13]
CONCLUSION
While we see an improvement in the protection of Indian athletes through Institutional and Legislative Reforms, it is impossible to claim that Indian Athletes have been provided with adequate protection simply based on the visible progress that these Indices represent. There are currently major disparities between the legal protection afforded to them and the actual protection that Indian athletes experience. Indian athletes still have to deal with difficulties that directly impact their livelihood, career longevity, and dignity, such as unclear governance, a lack of welfare support, and unequal negotiating power.
The health and well-being of an athlete should drive change in the area of sport law and should not just be secondary to other component that leads to broad-spanning reform(s). It is therefore crucial that both legally binding rights; transparent federated structures and procedures; prompt resolution of disputes; gender-sensitivity policies and; formal systems for holding accountable federations, on behalf of the athlete, be put into place.[14] The country’s representatives shouldn’t just be protected from harm, but also protected through law. By creating a strong foundation for athlete rights, the next generation of athletes will have faith in their right to play the sport of their choice and know that they are protected by the law. India’s lack of athlete rights isn’t due to the lack of skills; rather, the absence of protections for athletes is an investment in the future of Indian athletes’ athleticism as opposed to being merely a government issue.
Author(s) Name: Anoushka Uthaiah (Alliance University)
References:
[1] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, National Sports Policy of India (Government of India) https://yas.nic.in/sports/national-sports-policy accessed 18 December 2025.
[2] Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Reforming Sports Governance in India (2017) https://vidhilegalpolicy.in/research/reforming-sports-governance-in-india/ accessed 18 December 2025.
[3] International Olympic Committee, Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration (2018) https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/OlympicOrg/Documents/IOC-Athletes/IOC-Athletes-Declaration.pdf accessed 18 December 2025.
[4] MP Jain, Indian Constitutional Law (8th edn, LexisNexis 2018)
[5] Government of India, National Sports Governance Act 2025 (India).
[6] Law Commission of India, Report on Dispute Resolution in Sports
[7] Constitution of India, art 21.
[8] National Sports Governance Act 2025 (India)
[9] WHO, Protecting Athletes’ Mental Health in Sport (Guidelines)
[10] Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, National Sports Development Code of India 2011.
[11] Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Reforming Sports Governance in India (2017).
[12] Australian Sports Commission, National Integrity Framework (2021).
[13] IOC, Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance of the Olympic and Sports Movement
[14] Justice BN Srikrishna, ‘Role of Judiciary in Balancing Fundamental Rights’ (2016) 2 SCC J 1.
