Delhi High Court Champions Gender Parity in Sports

The Delhi High Court mandated gender parity in national sports federations, challenging the biased participation criteria by the Badminton Association of India. Justice Sachin Datta highlighted the need to broaden the pool of athletes, ensuring women para-athletes receive equal opportunities in events like the Khelo India Para Games.

The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to the central sports ministry to ensure equal representation of men and women athletes in national sports federations' events. This decree followed a plea against a discriminatory notification from the Badminton Association of India.

Justice Sachin Datta emphasized that the selection of athletes should not solely depend on international event participants but also incorporate those from domestic and local competitions, like the Khelo India sporting events. The court criticized the limited slots allocated for women para-athletes compared to men.

The court further underlined the need for gender parity based on constitutional provisions and the National Sports Development Code. While the BAI suggested the slots were influenced by fewer international female participants, the court insisted on expanding the criteria to include domestic athletes, ensuring fairness in upcoming events.

(With inputs from agencies.)