New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) – The Supreme Court of India has called for "strong measures" to restore purity, fairness, and autonomy to sports federations in the country, emphasizing the need to remove individuals who have "monopolized" these bodies for personal gain.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, while hearing a case related to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre, to take instructions regarding a potential CBI probe. The case also concerns a letter written by the "so-called" president of the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF) to the AKFI’s administrator, which allegedly contained offensive language.
In their observations, the bench highlighted the importance of safeguarding the integrity of sports federations and ensuring that the election process remains transparent and free from vested interests. The court noted that strong measures were required to "infuse purity, fairness, autonomy, and independence" into these federations and to expel individuals who had monopolized them for years.
The bench also directed the Centre to ensure that domestic Kabaddi players and other athletes were allowed to participate in international competitions, such as the Asian Kabaddi Championship scheduled to take place in Iran from February 20 to 25. The court instructed Mehta to explore diplomatic channels to resolve the ongoing conflicts and facilitate the recognition of Indian sports associations, including the Kabaddi Federation.
Further, the court raised concerns over the legitimacy of the AKFI’s electoral roll. It directed Mehta to verify whether the state associations were represented by genuinely elected or nominated individuals who had the right to participate in the national federation elections.
"If necessary, we will order fresh elections for the AKFI," the bench remarked. The case will be reviewed again on February 6.
The petitioners, Priyanka and Pooja, two national Kabaddi players, had approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to AKFI to send them to the Asian Kabaddi Championship, as the Federation had been unaffiliated with the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). The players were denied participation in the international tournament, prompting their legal action.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing two former Arjuna Award-winning Kabaddi players, intervened in the matter and informed the court about the dysfunctionality of AKFI. He criticized the long-standing president of the Federation, who ruled for 40 years before being ousted, and accused him of abusing his position to suspend AKFI's affiliation with the international body, thereby barring Indian teams from participating in global competitions.
Justice Surya Kant strongly condemned the practice of appointing former judges or bureaucrats as administrators in sports bodies, calling it detrimental to democratic values. He emphasized that sports federations should be run by individuals with a genuine sports background, ensuring that athletes and participants have a meaningful role in the governance of their respective federations.
The Supreme Court further stressed the importance of fostering a democratic culture within these organizations, but acknowledged that such reforms could not be achieved immediately.
Sankaranarayanan also demanded that the International Kabaddi Federation be made a party to the proceedings, urging the court to direct the restoration of AKFI's affiliation.
In July 2024, the IKF had de-affiliated AKFI, preventing Indian Kabaddi teams from competing in various international events. The players involved in the case have also called on the Centre to take steps to restore the AKFI's affiliation, allowing Indian Kabaddi teams to once again participate on the global stage.
The matter is set to be heard again on February 6.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, while hearing a case related to the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre, to take instructions regarding a potential CBI probe. The case also concerns a letter written by the "so-called" president of the Asian Kabaddi Federation (AKF) to the AKFI’s administrator, which allegedly contained offensive language.
In their observations, the bench highlighted the importance of safeguarding the integrity of sports federations and ensuring that the election process remains transparent and free from vested interests. The court noted that strong measures were required to "infuse purity, fairness, autonomy, and independence" into these federations and to expel individuals who had monopolized them for years.
The bench also directed the Centre to ensure that domestic Kabaddi players and other athletes were allowed to participate in international competitions, such as the Asian Kabaddi Championship scheduled to take place in Iran from February 20 to 25. The court instructed Mehta to explore diplomatic channels to resolve the ongoing conflicts and facilitate the recognition of Indian sports associations, including the Kabaddi Federation.
Further, the court raised concerns over the legitimacy of the AKFI’s electoral roll. It directed Mehta to verify whether the state associations were represented by genuinely elected or nominated individuals who had the right to participate in the national federation elections.
"If necessary, we will order fresh elections for the AKFI," the bench remarked. The case will be reviewed again on February 6.
The petitioners, Priyanka and Pooja, two national Kabaddi players, had approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to AKFI to send them to the Asian Kabaddi Championship, as the Federation had been unaffiliated with the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). The players were denied participation in the international tournament, prompting their legal action.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing two former Arjuna Award-winning Kabaddi players, intervened in the matter and informed the court about the dysfunctionality of AKFI. He criticized the long-standing president of the Federation, who ruled for 40 years before being ousted, and accused him of abusing his position to suspend AKFI's affiliation with the international body, thereby barring Indian teams from participating in global competitions.
Justice Surya Kant strongly condemned the practice of appointing former judges or bureaucrats as administrators in sports bodies, calling it detrimental to democratic values. He emphasized that sports federations should be run by individuals with a genuine sports background, ensuring that athletes and participants have a meaningful role in the governance of their respective federations.
The Supreme Court further stressed the importance of fostering a democratic culture within these organizations, but acknowledged that such reforms could not be achieved immediately.
Sankaranarayanan also demanded that the International Kabaddi Federation be made a party to the proceedings, urging the court to direct the restoration of AKFI's affiliation.
In July 2024, the IKF had de-affiliated AKFI, preventing Indian Kabaddi teams from competing in various international events. The players involved in the case have also called on the Centre to take steps to restore the AKFI's affiliation, allowing Indian Kabaddi teams to once again participate on the global stage.
The matter is set to be heard again on February 6.