NEW DELHI: India's top dressage rider Anush Agarwalla on Friday approached the Delhi High Court, challenging his omission from the country's equestrian team for the upcoming Asian Games. He alleged arbitrariness and a lack of transparency in the selection process.
Petition Filed Against Ad-Hoc Committee
Agarwalla, who is ranked Asia's No.2 and World No.14, filed an urgent writ petition seeking judicial intervention against the actions of the ad-hoc committee governing the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), currently administered by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The petition names the ad-hoc panel, its selection committee, the IOA, and the Union of India through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as respondents.
Selection Controversy
The challenge comes after the ad-hoc body announced a dressage team comprising Shruti Vora, Gaurav Pundir, Jai Sud, and Hriday Chheda, leaving out Agarwalla, India's sole dressage representative at the Paris Olympics and a member of the gold medal-winning team at the Hangzhou Asian Games. He was instead named a reserve rider along with Sudipti Hajela.
Agarwalla alleged that he was denied access to merit calculations and was not informed whether the final decision was taken by the ad-hoc panel or the selection committee. He has sought quashing of the June 16 selection list, reconstitution of the selection panel, strict adherence to selection criteria, and a stay on the impugned list. The court has listed the matter for admission hearing on June 22.
Social Media Appeal
Agarwalla also posted a lengthy message on social media, raising questions about the criteria applied in athlete selection and urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to intervene urgently. He stated, "Today, I stand as India's No.1 ranked dressage rider, Asia's No.2 ranked rider and World No.14 in the FEI rankings. I have also achieved the highest PSG scores among all Indian athletes this year. That is why being named as a reserve for the upcoming Asian Games comes as a surprise and raises important questions about the criteria being applied in athlete selection."
He highlighted his achievements: "I was part of India's historic Asian Games team gold medal-winning campaign and won an individual bronze medal, becoming the first Indian to win an individual dressage medal at the Asian Games. I also became the first Indian dressage rider to qualify for and compete at the Paris Olympics." He added, "While I respect the selection process and the athletes chosen to represent India, I believe every athlete deserves clarity on how such decisions are made, particularly when current rankings, international performances and proven results appear to suggest otherwise."
Call for Transparency
Agarwalla requested the Prime Minister, Sports Minister, Sports Authority of India, and concerned authorities to review the decision and ensure that merit, transparency, and sporting excellence remain at the heart of athlete selection. The petition contends that the arbitrary exclusion of an athlete of such proven merit, experience, and international standing raises issues of fairness, transparency, and adherence to established selection norms, warranting urgent judicial scrutiny.
The EFI has been functioning under an ad-hoc committee appointed by the IOA after governance-related disputes and administrative issues within the national federation.
