New Delhi, April 18 -- The Supreme Court indicated Friday it may establish an Inquiry Commission to investigate the functioning of sports associations across India, with potential dissolution of these bodies if warranted.
The observation came from a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh while hearing a petition filed by athletes Priyanka and Pooja seeking clearance to compete in the Senior Asian Kabaddi Championship 2025 in Iran. "We are inclined to appoint a Commission of Inquiry for a deeper probe into the affairs of Kabaddi Associations... give us some time, we will dissolve all these Associations," the court stated. The bench clarified that athletes should remain uninvolved in administrative issues, adding, "As far as sports persons are concerned, nobody is touching them. They should keep themselves completely away from...they should focus on sports."
The petitioners faced participation obstacles after the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was suspended by the International Kabaddi Federation due to the absence of an elected governing body.
Senior Advocate K Parameswar, representing the athletes, expressed disappointment "by the manner in which the players were humiliated" and noted that an alternative association has now been introduced.
Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj requested a two-week adjournment to obtain instructions, which the court granted.
This latest development follows the Supreme Court's previous concerns about sports administration in India. On March 17, the Apex Court had remarked that many sports associations are "ailing bodies." "All these sports associations - there is nothing like sports in them. All are ailing bodies; we do not know what they are grappling for," the court had observed during that hearing. with agency inputs
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.