Supreme Court Plans Inquiry Panel to Clean Up Sports Associations

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India signaled its intention to appoint an inquiry commission to investigate the functioning of sports associations across the country thoroughly. The move follows serious concerns about the state of governance in these bodies, starting with the Kabaddi federations.

“All Kinds of Things Are Happening”

Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh remarked during the hearing that sports bodies engage in activities beyond just sports. “All kinds of things are happening,” the bench noted, hinting at irregularities beyond sports administration.

The court emphasized that it may expand the scope of the proposed commission beyond Kabaddi to include all sports associations if necessary.

Kabaddi Federations Under the Scanner

The case originated from a plea filed by two national Kabaddi players, Priyanka and Pooja. They challenged the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) after the International Kabaddi Federation de-affiliated it in July of the previous year. This de-affiliation had prevented Indian Kabaddi teams from participating in global competitions.

In February, the court directed AKFI’s administrator, former judge S P Garg, to hand over charge to its elected governing body to enable player participation in the Asian Kabaddi Championship in Iran. The players eventually competed and secured a gold medal.

Government Seeks Time

Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, representing the Centre, told the court that they had arranged the players’ participation in the Iran tournament as directed. He said they were still finalizing the modalities for the proposed CBI probe into AKFI and requested two more weeks to complete the process.

CBI and Interpol May Join Probe

The court noted that it expects the CBI director to suggest a framework for a robust investigation. This may include cooperation with international agencies like INTERPOL to ensure an effective probe both domestically and internationally.

Players Allowed to Intervene

The court permitted several current and former athletes, including two Arjuna Awardees, to intervene in the case. Their legal representatives will submit recommendations on how sports bodies should function and the investigation needed.

Dissolution of Associations on the Table

The court warned that if the inquiry reveals serious misconduct, it may dissolve the concerned associations altogether. The court has scheduled the next hearing for four weeks from now.