The Delhi High Court has ordered the Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to form a Selection Committee comprised of players and a senior SAI coach to select a competent team to represent India in Karate for the upcoming Asian Games.
A single-judge Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing a petition filed by Shruti Sharma who is stated to have won medals and commendations in Karate and is interested in the upcoming 19th Asian Games, to be held in Hangzhou, China in September-October, 2023. The plea sought direction for the constitution of a Selection Committee for karate for participation in the Asian Games.
The petitioner informed the bench that there is no National Federation recognized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and thus no association is under the Ministry’s control or bound by the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. It was also claimed that as a result of this gap, both the sport and the athletes in Karate are suffering greatly.
The Union’s counsel agreed that, in the absence of a recognized national federation as contemplated by the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011, no association claiming to represent the interests of Karate sport in India has been recognized.
Taking into account the petitioner’s submissions as well as the letter sent by the union government to the Director General of SAI, the bench further directed that “an authorized and competent officer from respondent No.2 assist the Sports Authority of India in such constitution of Selection Committee and also to ensure that the team is selected in accordance with the rules of IOA.”
The role of such an officer will be limited to overseeing the process and not interfering with it, it added.
“The Sports Authority of India is directed to intimate the petitioner as soon as such Selection Committee is constituted. Petitioner is at liberty to submit her application along with all the credentials for her consideration in the selections,” the bench stated.
Noting that the deadline for sending the list of selected athletes to the Organizing Committee of the 19th Asian Games is July 15, the court asked the Selection Committee to keep the timeline in mind while conducting selections.
While dismissing the petition, the single bench noted that the Union Government’s counsel has agreed that the Government of India will “widely publish the selections conducted” for the sport on its website. Furthermore, the union government stated that it will “advertise the selection process to be initiated for the sport of Karate” for the upcoming 19th Asian Games widely through the country’s leading national daily.
