Courts Blamed for Sports 'Destruction' in India
Adille Sumariwalla, former AFI President, claims courts are damaging Indian sports and stresses the need for arbitration in sports governance. He advocates for a Sports Bill to prevent federations from dissolving due to court overreach. His remarks were made at the International Olympics Research Conference in Gandhinagar.
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- India
In a bold statement, former Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President Adille Sumariwalla has accused the judiciary of wrecking the sports structure in India. Speaking at the International Olympics Research Conference in Gandhinagar, Sumariwalla urged the swift implementation of a Sports Bill featuring an arbitration clause for dispute resolution.
He critiqued the current system, highlighting how court interference is stunting the progress of sports federations. Sumariwalla emphasized governance should focus on developing sports rather than mere policing, condemning the latest Indian Olympic Association constitution for hindering sports' core values.
Highlighting the urgency, Sumariwalla shared an instance from kabaddi, where prolonged court-appointed administration stalls progress. He urged the introduction of a Draft Sports Bill modeled on international standards like the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to streamline dispute resolution, warning that without it, many federations risk dissolution.
(With inputs from agencies.)