Delhi High Court's Warning to Sports Federations: Cease Infighting to Uphold Sports Integrity

The Delhi High Court criticized ongoing disputes within sports federations, highlighting threats to sports' integrity and autonomy. During a case involving the Boxing Federation of India, judges warned against infighting, stressing potential international disqualifications and compromised governance, urging respect for judicial processes and federation rules.

The Delhi High Court has issued a stern warning to sports federations nationwide, flagging that internal disputes detract from both the progress and integrity of sports organizations. This comes amid ongoing conflicts within these bodies, as addressed by Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela during a recent hearing.

The bench highlighted that persistent infighting risks disqualification by international sports federations and undermines the autonomy as stipulated by the International Olympic Charter. With litigation becoming a frequent issue, the court scheduled a further hearing for April 7 and cautioned sports bodies about potential interventions should disputes continue. 'We are aware of the required actions,' it declared, underscoring the severity of the issue.

The court's observations were made during an appeal by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) following an order that stayed its directive limiting electoral eligibility to bona fide members. The legal tussle included claims of improperly authorized appeals and criticized a previous interim relief decision as lacking deliberative prudence, leading to undue complications and endangering procedural fairness.

(With inputs from agencies.)