Scorebook 2026 Season 2 Discusses Sports, Good Governance, Corporate Participation, and Athlete Welfare

Scorebook 2026 Season 2 Discusses Sports, Good Governance, Corporate Participation, and Athlete Welfare

Sanchita chatterjee Kolkata, August 25, 2026: The second season of 'Scorebook 2026'—titled "The Sports Conclave: Powering Sporting Excellence" and organized by the Social Sports Foundation—brought together sports administrators, former athletes, journalists, academicians, and sports professionals to discuss key issues shaping Indian sports today.

Held at the CII Suresh Neotia Centre of Excellence in Kolkata, the conclave commenced in the presence of former Indian Test cricketer Devang Gandhi and Shivanand Mishra, Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Kolkata.

Spanning four sessions, the discussions went beyond mere sporting performance to highlight the relationship between sports and corporate culture, sports governance, the commercialization of sports identity, anti-doping measures, and athlete health.

One of the key discussions focused on the importance of sports within an organizational setting and its relationship with government departments.

Speaking on the role of sports in the workplace, Major General S. N. Mukherjee (Retd.), former Vice-Chancellor of LNIPE, Gwalior, noted that the playing field creates an environment where conventional institutional hierarchies dissolve.He said, "On the field, both the CEO and the executive are simply players. Someone with less authority in the office might be the best player on the field.

 This is where sports can break hierarchies and unleash talent."

He also raised a broader question regarding how corporations can make sports an integral part of professional life—not merely for physical fitness, but as a means to identify leadership qualities, build teams, break down hierarchies, and discover latent talent. Subhajyoti Chakraborty, Director of CII-SNCEL, and Bishesh Bose, former Chief Manager at Tata Tea, were present at this session. Anirban Sinha Roy, a journalist from *India Today*, served as the moderator.

The second session, titled "The Reality and Implementation of the National Sports Governance Act 2025 at the State Level," examined whether the Act is bringing about any tangible changes.

A crucial question emerged during the discussion: Is this Act altering the way sports are administered at the state level, and how will its impact be measured?

Anirban Dutta, Secretary of the IFA, also raised the issue of ensuring meaningful representation for women in administrative and decision-making roles across various sports sectors. Another significant topic discussed was the necessity of continuous investment in grassroots sports across all disciplines, regardless of whether a specific sport or national team achieves significant commercial success.

The third session addressed another contentious topic: "The commercialization of team jerseys is unethical."

The discussion centered on where to draw the line between the symbolic value attached to a team or national jersey and its commercialization.

Padma Shri Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, Joint Secretary of the Indian Athletic Association, highlighted the emotional and personal significance of wearing the national jersey.

She stated, "The Indian jersey is not merely a piece of clothing. We earn it through years of hard work. When we wear it and run for the country, it instills a unique kind of strength in us."

The session also explored how commercial interests can coexist with the identity, sacrifice, and achievement represented by sports jerseys.

**Looking Beyond Punishment in the Fight Against Doping**

The fourth session focused on "Anti-Doping Regulations and Sports Injury Management," placing the welfare of athletes and the integrity of the sports system itself at the heart of the discussion. Dr. Rajarshi Kar, a former national athlete and Assistant Professor at the College of Physical Education in Dinhata, raised the question of whether the sports community should look beyond merely judging athletes who dope.

He asked, “Before passing judgment on an athlete who has doped, perhaps we should ask ‘why.’ What pressures, sacrifices, and circumstances drove that athlete to cross the line?” He also questioned what kind of sports system creates an environment where an athlete might feel that breaking the rules is essential for survival or success.

He further emphasized that physical education should be regarded as an integral part of education rather than a secondary subject.

Supporting this view, Dr. Sudarshan Biswas—President of the PEFI West Bengal Chapter and Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Education at Visva-Bharati University—stated, “If education prepares children for their future careers, shouldn't it also prepare them to remain physically and mentally fit enough to lead those lives?”

The session also highlighted the necessity of physical education.