Top posts in sports bodies should have only sportspersons: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court Thursday said it may recommend to the Law Commission to consider the option of having only sportspersons in top posts in sports organisations in the country.

The court said most sports bodies today are headed by people who have nothing to do with sports.

Justice Manmohan said sports bodies are in "worse shape" today and need tremendous scope for improvement and people have "lost confidence" in all sports bodies.

"Each sport federation is being run by people who have nothing to do with the sport. You can't have people here who have no stake in the game," the court said.

"Sports bodies are in worse shape today. There is tremendous scope for improvement. I want to recommend to the Law Commission to see if one has to be at least a state-level player to be a president or secretary of the sports federations," it said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by wrestler Kartar Singh challenging recognition of some sports federations, including the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), as he said they are "dominated by criminal politicians facing various heinous criminal cases".

The court also issued notice to the central government and sought its reply by April 28.

The court also sought response on Singh's plea to quash the April 2013 resolution passed by the WFI general council expelling him for six years from the federation.

The plea sought restraining order for any politician or bureaucrat having not played or coached in any national or international tournaments from occupying any membership or post in any national sports federation.