CHENNAI: Indian sports have occasionally thrown up bizarre stories, at times outrageous and embarrassing as well. It only reflects poorly on our entire system. One doesn’t need bird-poops or unhygienic playing conditions. The latest incident seems as perplexing. It is understandable if the contingent crosses 300 like in Asian and Commonwealth Games or just over 100 when it comes to Olympics, but for two athletes?
Unbelievable one may think. But that’s exactly what transpired just couple of weeks ahead of the Winter Olympic in Milano-Cortina. There are only two names that have been sent to the Milano-Cortino Games organizers by Indian Olympic Association and the names have been contested in the Delhi High Court. Basically, it says a country cannot choose two athletes to represent the country without litigation.
Interestingly, though the sports ministry funds the expenses of those competing at the Olympics, Winter Games Federation of India and other winter sport associations are not recognized by the ministry.
For the record, since its inception, India have sent one entry five times – 1964, 1968, 1998, 2002 and 2022, three athletes three times and two athletes two times. The highest number of athletes was in 2006 when India sent four athletes. Shiva Keshavan is the only athlete to have competed in six Winter Olympics.
This time, one athlete apparently qualified through FIS ranking (that closed on January 18) – Arif Mohammad Khan who represented India last edition in Beijing also. The other athlete Stanzin Lundup was on universal quota awarded to the Indian Olympic Association. However, this was challenged by Manjeet, another skier who petitioned in the Delhi HC that he was the ranked above Lundup. And there was no plausible reason for Lundup’s selections. There are four support staff and one Chef de Mission also.
The Delhi HC judge Amit Sharma heard the argument in court and has asked the matter to be listed on January 27, which would be less than 10 days away from the Opening Ceremony of the Games.
According to the HC order, the sports ministry too has sought clarification from IOA on the selection criteria of the two athletes. “In view of the above, it cannot be conclusively determined how Shri Stanzin Lundup secured the quota place,” the Sports Authority of India Teams Division’s written submission in court. “Further, since the quota places are allocated to the country, clarification is also required on the basis on which both athletes have been selected to represent India at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games.” Apparently, the detailed justification has not been given as yet.
The court has said that the selection of athletes would be subject to outcome of the petition. “Needless to state that the selection/forwarding of the names of the athletes for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, would be subject to the outcome of the present petition,” said the order.
Interestingly, the deadline to confirm quotas for alpine skiing was January 20. Another point that was raised during the hearing was the legality of the ad-hoc committee of the Ski and Snowboard India (SSI) formed by the IOA. The petition contested that the ad-hoc committee has not been ratified by either the executive committee or the general body of the IOA. The SSI had conducted their own election with London Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt as the president.