Delhi Government Opposes Winter Sports Ban Citing Student Logistics
The Delhi government has recently informed the High Court that it is opposed to altering the annual school sports calendar to prohibit outdoor sporting events during the winter months solely on the grounds of deteriorating air quality. The government submitted that it must consider practical and logistical factors involving thousands of students for whom trials and coaching camps are held during this period, from November to January.
Government's Stance on Feasibility
Delhi government's counsel argued that imposing a blanket ban on outdoor sports during the winter months would not be feasible given the scale of operations and scheduling constraints. The High Court was hearing a contempt plea filed by a group of school students who claimed that, despite a previous court order, the government continued to hold sporting events when Delhi's air quality frequently fell into the "severe" and "hazardous" categories.
Court's Acknowledgment of Constraints
The court acknowledged the constraints within which the Directorate of Education operates and pointed out that it could not decide how or when the annual sports calendar was drawn up by the administration. The court also clarified that earlier remarks made in November 2025 were not binding directions but merely a request that authorities make an "endeavour" to address the issue.
The High Court orally observed: "The court understands that they are children. The department also understands… they have some difficulty and cannot redo it for some reason. We can adjust the decision taken, but we cannot take the decision." The court listed the matter for further hearing in March.
Students' Plea for Safer Scheduling
In their plea, the children have sought a direction to ensure that tournaments and trials for outdoor sports are not scheduled in the city during the peak pollution months of November to January and are held during a safer time when air quality is better. The minors, who filed the petition through their parents, said they actively participated in state-scheduled sports tournaments, camps, and trials in Delhi and other parts of the country.
The plea stated that year after year, authorities continued to conduct these outdoor sporting events at a time when Delhi's air quality was verifiably and foreseeably "severe" and "hazardous." This ongoing practice has raised significant health concerns among students and parents alike, prompting legal action to seek safer alternatives for young athletes.
