Delhi High Court to administer Kabaddi Match for the selection mess at Asian Games 2018
The Indian Men’s Kabaddi Team had to settle for a bronze medal for the first time in the Asian Games history.
The team’s selection had been marred with controversies and after a petition from former Kabaddi player Mahipal Singh over the unjust selection for the games the court ordered a special match.
For the first time in in the history of Indian Sports, Indian Judiciary will see a match between Indian Men and Women Kabaddi Team which represented the country at the Asian Games 2018 and those who were not selected in the team.
An officer from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will also be present along with an observer of the selection S P Garg, who is a retired Delhi High Court Justice.
At that time it was not possible to change the current team for Asian Games as it would have been a waste of precious time. So the court instructed to organize the match. The court gave its judgment to organize two matches on 15th September at 11 am at Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi.
The High court said that Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) ensures that all players from the country will play the Saturday’s match. “It is the responsibility of the AKFI to ensure that all State Kabaddi Associations inform the players about the date, time and venue of the selection process.”
According to the HC order, the selection process will be conducted by video shoot. And this will be considered and presented in front of Court as a proof. “The entire selection process shall be video-graphed and the recording thereof shall be preserved by the Sports Association of India and a copy thereof be placed before this court as well. So far as the appointment of the selector is concerned, the selection process shall be conducted by three selectors, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports”.
B S Nagar, the advocate of Mahipal Singh said to The Indian Express, “The game will be between the men and women players who represented India at the Asian Games and those who were not picked. They will be from those who attended the national camp. It (the order) doesn’t say that the people who were part of the Asian Games team have to compulsorily participate, but it is left to the good conscience of the players.”
He further said, “On August 31, the players said that this upcoming match is affecting their reputation and that they are injured and what not. They were trying to delay it (the match), saying that it isn’t their fault anyway. They (the Asian Games teams) are afraid that the unknowns might beat them.”
India’s supremacy in Kabaddi came to an end as India’s men lost to Iran in the semi-final at Asian Games 2018. In the 28 years of Asiad history, India received Bronze for the first time since 1990. Women’s team also got failed to win the Gold as they also lost to Iran in the finals.