JOIN USParalympian shooter appeals HC against non-selection for Tokyo Games
Five-time Paralympian shooter Naresh Kumar Sharma has moved the Delhi High Court in appeal against its single-judge order which refused to interfere with his non-selection by the Paralympics Committee of India (PCI) for the upcoming Tokyo Games.
The appeal will be heard on July 30 by a bench headed by Chief Justice D N Patel.
In his appeal filed through advocate Satyam Singh and Amit Kumar Sharma, the Arjuna and Rajiv Gandhi State Sports Awardee Paralympian has said the single-judge order failed to consider the facts in proper perspective when it refused to grant any relief to him in spite of noting that the PCI acted in violation of its own criteria for selection of the Paralympic Shooting Team.
The appeal states that Tokyo Paralympics are set to commence from August 24 and therefore, a direction can still be passed to the PCI can send Sharma's name for his participation in the R7 shooting event.
"02.08.2021 is the deadline for the Tokyo 2020 organising committee to receive Sports entry forms submitted by NPC (National Paralympic Committee). The Ld. Single Judge failed to take into account the fact that the PCI can send the name of the appellant even at this stage for his participation at Tokyo Paralympics 2020 in R7 event," the appeal said.
“The Ld. Single Judge erred in observing that she sees no reason to interfere with the selection of respondent no.4 or issue directions to the PCI to select the petitioner (Sharma) to compete in the R-7 event of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, either in place of respondent no. 4 (the selected player) or as an additional entry,” it said.
On July 27, the high court's single-judge order had said that PCI's conduct in relation to the selection of another player, Deepak, over Naresh Kumar Sharma was “unbecoming of a public sporting body” which has to maintain a fair, transparent and inclusionary approach.
While deciding Sharma's petition against his non-selection, the single judge observed that it found prima facie merit in his averment that the PCI Selection Committee did adopt different standards vis-à-vis Deepak and other Para Shooters.
The court had, however, refused to interfere with the selection of the other player over Sharma at this belated stage, noting that the shooting team was already in a bubble.
It nonetheless directed the Sports Ministry under the Central government to examine the aspect and take action if necessary.