Sports Ministry sets different standards for NSF functioning

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, April 16

It seems that the Sports Ministry has set different parameters for different National Sports Federations (NSFs) when it comes to good governance principles. In two similar cases regarding the election process in the NSFs, the Ministry officials have submitted two different affidavits in the Delhi High Court.

When asked by the Delhi High Court to provide a roadmap for bringing the constitution of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) in line with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011, the Ministry requested that it needed a three-month extension to file the report as the Model Code of Conduct is in effect.

“…Policy decisions in the Ministry are approved at the level of the Minister. In the current scenario, when the General Elections of Lok Sabha have been announced, and the Model Code of Conduct has come into effect, providing a roadmap is not feasible,” under-secretary Sudhir Gupta said in his reply on March 28.

“Since sports have a wide impact on youth and sports fans across different age groups, any policy decision of this magnitude may affect the level playing field in the upcoming General Election to Lok Sabha and may also be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct as it has to be approved by the Minister. Therefore, a minimum of three months time is being sought by Applicant/ Respondent NO.1 for submitting the affidavit along with the roadmap,” he added.

However, in the case of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the Ministry has taken a different stance. In the affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, MYAS director Anant Kumar has said that the government has not taken back its suspension decision even after the Indian Olympic Association restoring full rights to the WFI.

Hearing on Bajrang Punia’s plea that was seeking an appointment of an administrator, the court had asked the Ministry and the IOA to explain whether the suspension of the WFI continued to subsist, the circumstances which impelled the ad hoc body to be dissolved and who was in charge of the affairs of the WFI after the dissolution of the ad hoc body.

“…As regards query (i), it is submitted that the suspension of recognition of the WFI vide the letter dated 24.12.2023 continues to subsist alongwith order dated 07.01.2024, intimating WFI and its State/UT affiliates that any national championships or competitions organized by the current elected executive committee of WFI will be treated as unsanctioned and unrecognized competitions. The Ministry will neither recognise nor provide any support to any activity of WFI,” Kumar said.

Wrestler Rohit loses bronze medal bout in Asian Championships

Bishkek: Wrestler Rohit Dahiya lost his bronze medal bout to a top-ranked Uzbek grappler as India finished their Greco-Roman campaign at the Asian Championships without a single podium finish here today. On a day when all other Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers continued to struggle, Dahiya (82kg) was the only one to enter the bronze medal round, but he lost to Mukhammadkodir Rasulov, ranked No.1 here, on points. Parvesh (60kg), Vinayak Siddheshwar Patil (67kg) and Ankit Gulia (72kg) all got eliminated in the preliminary rounds. pti