Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation

2026 Supreme(Del) 339

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
JASMEET SINGH, J.
Manjeet – Petitioner
Versus
Indian Olympic Association (Ioa) And Ors. – Respondents
W.P.(C) 936 of 2026, CM APPL. 4593 of 2026
Decided On : 30-01-2026

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Ms. Neha Singh, Adv.
For the Respondent: Mr. Gopal Jain Sr. Adv., Ms. Aashits Khanna, Ms. Aanya Agarwal, Mr. Vidushpat Singhania, Adv. for R1-2, Mr. Ruchir Mishra, Mr. Mukesh K Tiwari, Mr. Shubhendu Kaushik GP, Advs. for UOI

The court established that the selection process for Olympic representation must strictly adhere to established eligibility criteria, and arbitrary deviations undermine fundamental fairness and transparency in athlete selection.

Headnote:(A) Constitution of India - Article 226 - Writ petition for selection in Olympic Games - Petitioner's exclusion from athlete selection for XXV Winter Olympic Games declared arbitrary and violative of Articles 14 and 21 - Respondents failed to implement objective eligibility criteria established by FIS - The Ad-hoc Committee's reliance on participation in the World Championship as a selection criterion questioned and deemed unsustainable - Court held that exclusion is contrary to established protocols and undermines athlete's right to fair representation. (Paras 30-60)

(B) Selection Process - The selection criteria must adhere strictly to the rules set by governing international bodies, and deviations undermine fairness and integrity. The athlete's meritorious performance must be the basis for selection. (Paras 45-54)

Facts of the case:
Petitioner, an athlete in Cross Country Skiing, sought inclusion in the Olympic team for the XXV Olympic Winter Games, asserting arbitrary exclusion based on non-participation in a World Championship, despite meeting criteria. Ad-hoc Committee's decisions were contested for lack of transparency.

Findings of Court:
The court found the selection process lacking in fairness, calling for rectification to ensure the petioner's legitimate opportunity to compete.

Issues: Whether the exclusion from selection was arbitrary and without merit, contravening established eligibility criteria.

Ratio Decidendi: The court determined that the governing framework for selection must be adhered to, and arbitrary modifications by the selection committee cannot hinder athlete representation. The exclusion was held as unfair and manifestly arbitrary.

Result: Petitions allowed; directives issued for facilitating the athlete's participation in the Winter Olympics.

Table of Content
1. petitioner's eligibility and exclusion overview. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12)
2. arguments supporting petitioner's claim. (Para 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18)
3. respondent's defense of selection process. (Para 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29)
4. court's assessment of selection integrity. (Para 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34)
5. clarification of eligibility criteria. (Para 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45)
6. critique of respondent's selection criteria justification. (Para 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50)
7. court's concern regarding institutional integrity. (Para 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55)
8. final determination on the selection process. (Para 56 , 57 , 58)
9. court's order on petitions. (Para 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63)

JUDGMENT :

JASMEET SINGH, J.

1. This is a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking the following prayers:

“ A. Issue a writ of Mandamus/Certiorari directing the Respondents to forthwith include the Petitioner in the list of athletes representing India in Cross Country Skiing at the Winter Olympic Games, Milano Cortina 2026;

B. Declare the exclusion of the Petitioner from Olympic selection as arbitrary, illegal, and violative of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India;

C. Quash the constitution and functioning of the Ad-hoc Committee insofar as it relates to the selection of athletes, being ex facie illegal, conflicted, and unsustainable in law;…”

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

2. The facts of the present case reveal a disturbing departure from established norms governing Olympic selection and merit-based selection. The petitioner is an Indian athlete specialising in Cross Country Skiing and has been actively competing since the year 2021. The petitioner has consistently performed at the national level and has secured multiple medals at recognised competitions, including the National Winter Games and the Khelo India Winter Games, during the period 2022 to 2025.

3. Respondent No. 1 is the Indian Olympic Association (“IOA”), governing body for the Olympic Movement and Commonwealth Games in India. The IOA oversees the selection and representation of Indian athletes and teams for the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, National Games, and other international multi-sport events conducted under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), and Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

4. Respondent No. 2 is an Ad-hoc Committee constituted by the IOA for selection of athletes for international competitions. The Committee comprises three members, two of whom are active athletes. It is stated by the petitioner that such members have participated in, and exercised control over, the selection process, including selecting themselves for international events.

5. Respondent No. 3 is the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (“MYAS”), Government of India, which administers the Departments of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Ministry is responsible for policy formulation, governance oversight, and grant of recognition to National Sports Federations in accordance with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.

6. It is the case of the petitioner that by virtue of impeccable performance, the petitioner is duly eligible for consideration to represent India at the forthcoming Winter Olympic Games, Milano Cortina 2026. The petitioner presently occupies the first position in the official FIS ranking list issued by the International Federation of Ski and Snowboard (“FIS” for the assessment period 2025-2026. The said ranking has been achieved through cumulative performance across not less than five valid FIS races.

7. FIS, in January 2025, notified the Qualification System for the XXV Olympic Winter Games, Milano Cortina 2026, prescribing objective eligibility parameters and the period of assessment for Cross Country Skiing.

8. On 13.10.2023, the IOA constituted