Sports Ministry Grants Conditional Recognition to Judo Federation of India
New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has officially granted conditional recognition to the newly elected interim body of the Judo Federation of India (JFI). This decision comes after a recent election held following a directive from the Delhi High Court. However, the ministry cautioned that any failure to comply with court orders could lead to the suspension of this recognition.
For the past year, JFI had been under the supervision of a court-appointed administrator. Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court instructed the federation to hold an Annual General Meeting and adhere to the National Sports Governance Act implemented this year.
The interim Executive Committee, now in place, is led by experienced sports administrator Mukesh Kumar, with Banee Brata Das serving as Secretary General and Shailesh Tilak as Treasurer.
In its official notification, the ministry stated, “It has been decided to grant recognition to the Executive Committee of the Judo Federation of India (Interim body) with immediate effect.” However, this recognition is conditional upon the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings regarding the elections to the committee.
The ministry emphasized that any breach of high court directives could result in the recognition being revoked. If the interim body fails to meet its obligations, the ministry will reconsider its decision.
Furthermore, the ministry has mandated that the JFI conduct elections for a final Executive Committee as instructed by the court. The interim body is also required to amend its constitution to comply with the National Sports Governance Act.
Additionally, the ministry has requested monthly reports from JFI regarding its adherence to court directives. These reports must outline the steps taken toward compliance.
The interim committee, besides the top three officials, has also elected four vice presidents and four joint secretaries. Remarkably, former tennis player Manisha Malhotra is among those in leadership roles, contributing her experience in sports management.
Notably, former Commonwealth Games medalists L Sushila Devi and Akram Shah were designated as Sportspersons of Merit within the interim committee.
Under the National Sports Governance Act, there’s a limit of 15 members in the executive committee, which must include at least two sportspersons and four women. Members can serve a maximum term of four years and can hold the president, secretary general, or treasurer positions for up to three consecutive terms, individually or combined.
