KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has directed Olympian Renjith Maheswary to file a representation before the Union ministry of sports and youth affairs against the withdrawal of the Arjuna Award conferred on him in 2013, within four weeks.
“If the averments in the writ petition are correct, it is really an insult and humiliation to an athlete,” observed the court.The court also directed the ministry to consider the same and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.
The court issued the directive while disposing of a writ petition filed by him seeking to quash the decision of the secretary, department of sports, withholding the prestigious Arjuna Award previously conferred on Renjith.
The court said the matter should be reconsidered by the sports ministry. If the petitioner was eligible for the Arjuna Award, the same should not be denied without valid reasons. The country could honour an athlete only in that manner.
The lapse of time is not a criterion to deny an honour if the petitioner really deserves it. The press release issued by the sports minister said the Arjuna Award was cancelled on charges of doping. The petitioner argued that the published list of dope-tainted sports persons included those who were bestowed with Arjuna Award in 2005 and 2021.