Wrestlers selection for CWG 2014: HC notice to Centre, WFI

The Delhi High Court today sought responses from the Centre, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and Indian Olympic Association on the plea of five wrestlers alleging that players for coming 20th Commonwealth Games (CWG) to be held in Glasgow were selected without holding any trial.
A vacation bench of V Kameswar Rao directed the Centre and the various sports bodies, including WFI, to state on affidavit whether selection trials are mandatory and listed the matter for further hearing on June 27.
The authorities have also been asked to state whether any trials were actually held and if yes, to show the records of all the players who participated in them and qualified.

The court, however, refused at the moment to pass any direction to hold trials as sought by the wrestlers, who have contended that the selection of players has been done in an arbitrary and whimsical manner without following the procedure laid down in the 2011 National Sports Development Code.
WFI, on its part, contended that the deadline for sending names for the CWG 2014 was June 11 and it has already sent the names of seven players, one each for the seven weight categories, to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) which has forwarded the same to the CWG Committee and thus, the present petitions are infructuous.

It said any interference by the court at this juncture might result in India being left unrepresented in the discipline in the Games to be held from July 23 to August 3.

Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for three of five the wrestlers, contended that WFI has blatantly violated the sports code which provides that selection trials are mandatory and questioned why the Centre has not enforced implementation of the code issued by it.
"The petitions have become infructuous due to their (WFI) illegality. Let them hold trials. That is all we are asking, If we do not qualify, we are out of here," he said.

Mehra also argued that WFI can't use public funds for sending players to the Games at their own whims and fancy without following the procedure laid down in the sports code for the same.