The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to take into account the eligibility of 15 Kho-Kho players for the forthcoming junior national tournament, which will begin on December 26 in West Bengal.
Advocate Vrinda Bhanari moved the plea for the Haryana State Kho-Kho Association (HSKKA) for the inclusion of the players chosen by the petitioner for the next junior tournament. Justice Prathiba M. Singh declined to take 15 players’ candidacy into consideration and pointed out that the KKFI had already released a list of players.
The High Court stated that, as the championship is set to begin on December 26, it would be too late to add players to the existing list.
However, the court directed, “Going forward, considering all the players ought to be given equal opportunity, for all future tournaments, KKFI shall consider the list of the petitioner as well as that of the respondent, the president and general secretary, and shall appoint a selection committee consisting of two coaches to represent the State of Haryana.”
The application also requested guidelines for the appointment of a committee comprised of two national coaches and one kho-kho player to conduct new selections for the Haryana state squad competing in the 41st Junior National Kho- Kho Championship.
The petitioner claimed that the respondent was illegally impeding the teams and players of the petitioner association from competing in the 41st Junior National Kho-Kho Championship (Boys and Girls) 2022–2023, which was organised under the auspices of KKFI. This interference was said to be detrimental to the interests and welfare of the players, coaches, and other parties involved in the kho-kho sport.
The State Kho-Kho Association for the State of Haryana, which was officially associated with KKFI, was also asserted to be the petitioner’s association, or HSKKA.
In the petition, it was stated that the petitioner association had been actively striving to advance Kho Kho sports in the State of Haryana since 1985 as the recognised State Association for Kho Kho Sports.
