Court puts Bindra, Somaya on committee to give funds to federations

The Delhi High Court has named Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and former hockey player MM Somaya in the committee under whose supervision funds will be allocated to sports federations for selecting teams for the Asian Games. The court has asked the committee to ensure that the money is spent only on the players and their training. It has also made it clear that government funds should be spent only on players’ practice, travel, arranging coaches for them, buying equipment and taking services like physiotherapists.

Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramaniam Prasad said, “Government money will not be spent on the officials of sports federations who have nothing to do with the players.” . The court had then directed the central government not to provide any aid or funding to national sports federations that did not comply with the Law on Administration of Sports in the country.

This decision was given on the petition of Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra. In October 2020, he challenged the government’s decision under which recognition of several sports federations was restored despite not following the National Sports Code. At present, the committee overseeing the allocation of funds to various sports federations consists of the Secretary, Department of Sports, Director General, Sports Authority of India and Joint Secretary, Department of Sports. It will also include Bindra and Somaya after the court’s April 25 verdict.