Suspended judoka cleared for Commonwealth Games
Vinayak Padmadeo
New Delhi, July 27
The Delhi High Court today put a stay on Jasleen Singh Saini’s suspension thereby clearing the judoka’s participation in the Commonwealth Games.
Saini was suspended by the court-appointed administrator of the Judo Federation of India (JFI) after an alleged assault incident in Spain last month. The alleged incident happened in Madrid during the Indian team’s training stint. Saini’s roommate Harshdeep Singh Brar was investigated after a Spanish woman accused him of sexual assault. However, the charges were dropped for want of any evidence of assault. Saini, Brar and one more judoka were suspended on July 2.
“I was not involved at all. I had requested the administrator a number of times but he did not budge,” Saini, who hails from Jalandhar, told The Tribune.
“I waited till the last moment and only then I approached the court as judo is only played once every eight years in the Commonwealth Games,” he added.
No involvement
Hearing Saini’s plea, justice Yashwant Varma said that the JFI failed to prove any act of indiscipline.
“Till the next date of listing, there shall be a stay of the order of suspension dated 02 July 2022 subject to the petitioner submitting an undertaking of good behavior and conduct before the Administrator of the Judo Federation of India as well as the Indian Olympic Association,” the order said.
The judo team has already left for Birmingham and time is running out for Saini as he has to reach the venue latest by Saturday. However, IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta said: “He will definitely go. We are making arrangements for him.”
