Major restructuring proposed for All India Tennis Association

The court-appointed administrator, Justice Gita Mittal, has proposed a major restructuring of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), including the induction of five Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOMs) into the Executive Committee and a significant change in the composition of the Central Council by reducing state association representation from two members to one.

Another proposal is to make eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit, including four women, voting members of the Central Council, giving athletes a greater role in the federation’s decision-making.

The proposed constitutional amendments will require approval of AITA members at Sunday’s Extraordinary General Meeting before they can be implemented, although the federation is expected to contest some of the recommendations. The proposed amendments, circulated ahead of the EGM, seek to comprehensively overhaul AITA’s constitution to align it with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.

The biggest structural change is the downsizing of the Executive Committee.

The existing executive, which has around 25 members, will be replaced by a statutory 15-member body comprising the President, Secretary General, Treasurer, five Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit, two Athletes Committee representatives and five zonal members. At least one-third of the members, including two women sportspersons and one woman athletes’ representative, must be women.

The Central Council, which functions as the federation’s general body, will also undergo a major restructuring. Instead of every affiliated state association sending two representatives, each affiliate will now nominate one representative. Alongside them, eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit will become voting members, while a nominee of the Paralympic Committee of India will also be inducted into the Council.

The draft constitution introduces the category of “Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit”, prescribing a transparent process of public applications and preparation of merit-based rosters for athlete representation in governance.

Justice Mittal has also proposed abolishing the posts of Vice President (Sports) and Senior Vice President/Vice President (Chair), describing them as consequential changes flowing from the governance model prescribed under the Sports Act.

Another proposal is the replacement of the existing Athletes’ Commission with a statutory Athletes Committee.

Its elections will be conducted by an independent Electoral Officer alongside AITA elections, at least half its members will have to be women, and its representatives will no longer require the President’s approval before joining the Executive Committee.

The draft also seeks to strengthen institutional accountability by making the Ethics Committee a permanent independent body with jurisdiction over office-bearers, players, coaches, officials and affiliates.

Similarly, the existing Arbitration Committee will be replaced by a permanent Dispute Resolution Committee empowered to facilitate both arbitration and mediation, with disputes expected to be resolved within 90 days. An Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act has also been proposed for the first time.

The explanatory notes accompanying the draft state that the amendments are intended to ensure compliance with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the Sports Governance Rules, 2026 and the Delhi High Court’s directions issued while appointing Justice Mittal as administrator.