Delhi HC quashes IOA selection of cross-country skier Stanzin Lundup for Winter Olympics

Justice Singh ruled that the petitioner Manjeet, as per the list published by FIS on 19.01.2026, is the most meritorious and is at two places above Mr. Stanzin Lundup. The HC single bench said inaction, arbitrariness, or unfair treatment on the part of administrative authorities cannot be permitted to operate as an impediment to the recognition of merit of Indian athletes, nor can it be allowed to deprive them of a legitimate opportunity to represent the nation...

Delhi High Court on Friday came down hard on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the Milano-Cortino Winter Olympics selection controversy, ruling that the exclusion of cross country skiier Manjeet from the two-member Indian team was ''manifestly arbitrary and unfair''. Despite the court ruling, it will be extremely difficult for Manjeet to participate in the February 6 to 22 Winter Olympics in Italy, though for no fault of his, as the IOA submitted to the HC that his name was not in the long list and all the timelines for athlete participation have expired. In his petition, Manjeet had challenged the decision of the IOA-appointed ad hoc committee to forward Stanzin Lundup's name for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy (February 6 to 22) in cross country skiing. He contented that he has been overlooked despite being placed number one in the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) rankings. A single bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh ruled in favour of Manjeet, who had petitioned for his inclusion in the team. Justice Singh struck down Lundup's selection and asked the IOA to take immediate steps to facilitate Manjeet's participation in the Winter Olympics. ''... the selection process is manifestly arbitrary and unfair, and respondent Nos. 1 (IOA) and 2 (IOA-appointed ad hoc committee) have failed in their duty as the Supervisory body,'' the order said. ''Although this Court has taken note of the respondents' submission that the impugned selection process has culminated and that consequential arrangements have already been acted upon, however, since respondent Nos. 1 and 2 have failed in their duty towards the petitioner, respondent No. 3 (sports ministry) is directed to try and make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the petitioner is permitted to participate in the XXV Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026. ''Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 are also directed that they shall take immediate steps to provide full support to respondent No. 3 in making necessary arrangements.'' The IOA further submitted that even in cases of medical exigency or exceptional circumstances, the Late Athlete Replacement (''LAR'') mechanism permits substitution only from within the long list. It said, the petitioner, having never been included in the long list, is barred from consideration for both emergency replacement as well as standard entry. Justice Singh ruled that ''the petitioner (Manjeet), as per the list published by FIS on 19.01.2026, is the most meritorious and is at two places above Mr. Stanzin Lundup.'' The HC single bench said ''inaction, arbitrariness, or unfair treatment on the part of administrative authorities cannot be permitted to operate as an impediment to the recognition of merit of Indian athletes, nor can it be allowed to deprive them of a legitimate opportunity to represent the nation... ''This Court also expresses its displeasure at the stand adopted by Respondent No. 3, the Ministry. As the repository of public trust and the nodal authority overseeing sports administration, respondent No. 3 is duty-bound to ensure that the selection process is fair, transparent, and merit-based.'' The Ministry had submitted to the court that it has no role in the selection criteria and the IOA is the concerned body. In his plea, Manjeet, through his counsel Neha Singh, had also sought to quash the constitution of the Ad-hoc Committee by the IOA ''in so far as it relates to the selection of athletes, being ex facie illegal, conflicted, and unsustainable in law''. The Court asked the respondents to file a detailed reply within four weeks and posted the matter for April 13. Manjeet had alleged procedural lapses and conflicts of interest in the selection process by the ad-hoc committee, constituted by the IOA in October 2023 to run the affairs of Ski and Snowboard India. India has earned two quotas for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Alpine Skier Arif Khan qualified for the Games on the basis of his world ranking. He was the lone Indian at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Is participation in World Championships mandatory? ================================ The IOA, on its part, submitted in an affidavit that the ''participation in the World Championship constitutes an essential requirement'' for selection. But the single bench, after examining the eligibility criteria and qualification pathway, found the ad hoc committee's interpretation erroneous and ''misplaced''. ''Nowhere ... is participation in the World Championship prescribed as a mandatory condition. Once an athlete satisfies the age, medical, and FIS points criteria, he becomes eligible for selection by the NOC,'' the bench said. ''The respondent No. 1 and 2 cannot import an additional condition not prescribed by the International Federation. Once the International Federation has chosen FIS points as on 19.01.2026, the determinant of eligibility, it is not open to the respondents to introduce an additional requirement through executive interpretation. ''By restricting selection for the 25th Winter Olympic Games solely to participation in the World Championships, the respondent Nos. 1 and 2 have effectively rewritten the governing qualification framework.'' The bench said the Ad-hoc Committee ''proceeded to apply selection criteria that are not traceable to any provision of the governing international qualification documents.'' ''The record reveals that athletes were assessed and excluded on the basis of conditions i.e., participation in World championship, which do not find mention in the FIS Qualification System. Such an approach strikes at the very foundation of a rule-based selection process.''

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