Para-athlete moves HC for place in Rio games

She alleged the sport bodies favoured another para-athlete over her despite her winning the quota

A national-level para-athlete has moved the Delhi High Court alleging irregularities in selection of candidates for Rio Paralympics, 2016, by the Sports Authority of India and the Paralympics Committee of India.

Wheelchair-bound

Karamjyoti, a wheelchair-bound discus thrower, has alleged that the sport bodies have favoured another para-athlete, a shot put player, over her despite her winning the quota.

Karamjyoti has prayed that a fair selection trial be conducted and her name be sent to the International Paralympics Committee for participation in the upcoming Rio Paralympics Games 2016.

Selection trial video

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva had constituted a three-member expert committee to examine the video of the selection trial to assess the claims of irregularities and illegalities made by the petitioner. The committee submitted its report in a sealed cover to the court on Monday.

Ms. Karamjyoti’s counsel Tarun Gupta said she won two medals in Para-Asians Games 2014 and a quota for the upcoming Rio Paralympics games 2016 and is the first Indian female para-athlete to win such quota in India.

“Since she has earned the quota, as per International Paralympics Committee rules, she deserves to be sent for participation in the upcoming Rio Paralympics Games 2016. However, instead of selecting her for participation, the Sports Authority of India has illegally and in a completely mala fide manner, selected the respondent who has neither earned the quota and nor her performance matches the standards prescribed by the International Paralympics Committee,” said Mr. Gupta.

He stressed that while Ms. Karamjyoti obtained fourth rank in the world championship 2015, the paralympian whose name has been sent for the event had obtained last rank.

Ms. Karamjyoti also alleged that the selection trials were conducted at Sonepat at a highly-polluted area, where there are strong chances of a para-athlete catching infection.

“Biased and illegal”

She told the court that the trial was conducted in a totally tainted, biased and illegal manner where one of the members of the selection committee was an executive member of Paralympics Committee of India and “very close to the respondent”.