Delhi HC allows junior kabaddi players to participate in Iran World Cup

Delhi High Court on Thursday approved the participation of two junior kabaddi players in the Junior World Championship (Boys), which will begin on February 26 in Iran.

Earlier, SAI revoked the participation of 17-year-old Rohit Kumar and 19-year-old Narender on the grounds of their injuries.

The single judge bench of Justice Prathiba Singh observed, “The opportunity to play in the World Cup is an opportunity which every player looks forward to in his sporting career. Both the petitioners are in their late teens and a decision to not send them to represent India, that too at such a late stage, without proper grounds, would be demoralizing not only to the petitioners but also to the team as a whole.”

The Bridge accessed the final judgment document which mentions two players were informed on Wednesday evening by their coach that they would not be joining the World Cup team. The players had been training at SAI’s coaching camp from January 23-February 12 and had suffered some minor injuries on the wrist and abdomen during practice one day.

They underwent a medical examination with an SAI doctor and were instructed to follow up in 10 days. They then trained at Delhi's Thyagaraj stadium following the evaluation. A medical examination by SAI on February 21 revealed, however, that the athletes should "return for gradual training."

The prescriptions for both players, according to Justice Singh, "are identical and do not inspire the trust of the court." The court observed that even after they had recovered from their injury and taken a few days off, they had received the necessary instruction and training.

“The petitioners having been selected for the World Cup, in this background, this court is of the opinion that the petitioners ought to be permitted to participate and represent India in the Junior World Championship (Boys), in Iran. Ordered accordingly,” the high court said, allowing the plea.

The court further ordered retired Justice S P Garg, who serves as the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India's (AKFI) administrator, and SAI to take immediate action to secure the required paperwork and take all necessary measures to allow the players to journey to Iran with the team.

The judge noted that the athletes had recovered in accordance with the doctor, who had advised against immediate training. The players and their dads, who were prepared to send them to the World Cup, were present in court.