Explained: The legal battle over India’s cross-country skiing spot for 2026 Winter Olympics

As yet another quadrennial multi-sport event – 2026 Winter Olympics – nears, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) once again finds itself embroiled in a legal battle.

In the latest round of selection controversies, cross country skier Manjeet has dragged the National Olympic Committee to court for overlooking him in the two-athlete Indian contingent for the 2026 Games in Milano Cortina, Italy.

In a petition filed at the Delhi High Court, Manjeet challenged the Indian Olympic Association's decision to forward Stanzin Lundup's name for the 2026 Winter Olympics in cross country skiing.

Manjeet contented that he has been overlooked despite being placed higher in the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) rankings.

What's the heart of the matter?

India has earned two quotas for the 2026 Winter Olympics. The first of those was earned by Alpine Skier Arif Khan, who qualified for the Games on the basis of his world ranking.

Khan, the only Indian to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics four years back, is guaranteed to fly to Milano Cortina.

The issue stems from the second quota place called "Basic Quota" that India has earned in cross country skiing.

As per the quota rules developed by FIS, "The basic quota for one (1) male athlete will be assigned to all NOCs who have at least one (1) male athlete scoring 300.00 FIS Points (including penalty) or less at one (1) individual competition held at the FIS Nordic World Championships 2025 (including the qualification race) or at the FIS U23 World Championships 2025."

At the 2025 Nordic World Championships, three Indians – Stanzin Lundup, Padma Namgail, and Shubam Parihar – competed in cross country skiing.

Out of the three, Stanzin Lundup (269.58) and Padma Namgail (275.55) scored less than 300.00 FIS Points as mandated in the criteria. The duo, thus, earned a basic quota for India.

With Stanzin Lundup being India's best performer at the World Championship held last year, the Indian Olympic Committee is understood to have forwarded his name for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Manjeet, the petitioner, did not even compete at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Championships.

How does Manjeet come into the equation?

The first and foremost thing to note here is that the basic quota that Stanzin Lundup and Padma Namgail earned belongs to the NOC i.e. the country and not the individual athlete.

The qualification window for the 2026 Winter Olympics cross country skiing opened on 1 July, 2024 and ran until 18 January, 2026.

Though Manjeet didn't compete in the 2025 FIS Nordic World Championships, he has consistently produced results under the required 300.00 FIS Points mark during this period.

Two other Indians, Shubam Parihar and Rameez Ahmad Padder, also went below the 300.00 FIS Points during the qualification window in different competitions.

India, thus, have five athletes eligible to compete in cross country skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics but only have a singular basic quota.

Manjeet's argument remains that since he is higher ranked, he should be the one representing India in Milano Cortina ahead of the other four including Stanzin Lundup, whose performance at the World Championship earned India the quota place.

The Delhi High Court, in a order dated 23 January, 2026, has called for a hearing on 27 January and issued a court notice to Stanzin Lundup.

"Needless to state that the selection/forwarding of the names of the athletes for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, would be subject to the outcome of the present petition," the order signed by Justice Amit Sharma reads.

By the time a judgement is passed on 27 January, both Manjeet and Stanzin Lundup will have less than ten days left to prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics with the opening ceremony set for 6 February, 2026.

Manjeet questions the Ski and Snowboard Federation ad-hoc committee

In the same petition, Manjeet has also raised questions regarding the ad-hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Committee to run Ski and Snowboard India (SSI).

He alleged that the ad-hoc committee was not ratified by the Executive Council of the Indian Olympic Association.

Manjeet also alleged conflict of interest with active athlete Arif Khan, who is set to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics in alpine skiing, being a member of the ad-hoc committee.

The ad-hoc committee is led by six-time Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan as chairman. It includes Arif Khan, and TN Bhavani as members, and Jelena Dojcinovic as an independent observer from FIS.

The Delhi High Court has also issued a court notice to Arif Khan.