Naresh Kumar a 5 time Paralympian and Arjuna Awardee has filed a writ petition in the Delhi High Court over not been selected for the R7 event at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics games. The 5 time Paralympian through his advocates Amit Kumar Sharma and Satyam Singh Rajput pleads that the Paralympic Committee of India has acted arbitrarily in the selection of athletes for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Games.
In their petition they allege the PIC for not being fair and transparent in their selection, as mandated by the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 which makes it obligatory for all National Sports Federations to judiciously select players to represent India on merits for major International events to enhance National prestige and bring glory to the country.
To be eligible for selection in Tokyo Paralympics, the para shooter has to achieve MQS (Minimum Qualifying Score). Mr. Naresh Kumar has achieved the MQS in Lima 2021 WSPS World Cup and AL Ain 2021 World Shooting Para Sports World Cup, UAE.
It is further submitted that PIC diverted from the criteria of calculation of final average score to capriciously select Deepak for the R7 event. The score achieved by the selected shooter Mr. Deepak in Novi Sad 2021 WSPS Grand Prix has been used to arrive at his final average score, which is not permissible by virtue of the criteria laid out by the PIC.
The Selection Committee did not take into consideration the actual final average of the shooters. It is evident from an email sent by J. P. Nautiyal, Chairman STC Shooting to Deepa Malik, President of PCI stating therein that the score statement for Tokyo Paralympics was erroneously left. It clearly shows manifest arbitrariness and non-application of mind on the part of the Selection Committee of PCI, the petition reads.
The plea, which seeks a direction to the PCI to include Sharma's name in the list of selected shooters for the R7 event, will be heard by Justice Rekha Palli on July 22.
If the court refuses to intervene with the “arbitrary, discriminatory and capricious selection”, Sharma’s legitimate opportunity to participate in Tokyo Paralympics and consequently, bring laurels to the country will be lost, it is claimed