HC sets aside three-year ban on Punjab weightlifter

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has set aside the three-year ban on the Punjab weightlifter Meena Kumari imposed by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) in 2014 and directed it to reconsider her case afresh within fifteen days.

The direction came from the high court bench of justice RK Jain on the petition of Kumari, an assistant sub inspector of Punjab police challenging the ban.

In November 2014, the weightlifter was banned for alleged misbehaviour with teammates and coaches during a preparatory camp in Patiala and later at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The complaints in this regard were made by her coaches. Kumari had secured fifth position at the Glasgow Games.

The high court held that imposition of the ban has neither found mention in Article 12(1) (g) of the Constitution of IWF nor any guidelines had been laid down for regulating the powers of the executive committee of IWF. “… In the absence thereof, this court is of the considered opinion that the imposition of three years ban is not only excessive but also does not commensurate with the alleged misbehaviour on the part of the petitioner,” the high court bench said, while remanding her case back to the executive committee for reconsideration. The executive committee has been directed to hold meeting within 15 days and after giving a hearing to all parties, decide the case.

Kumari had questioned the ban on the ground that it was not commensurate with her alleged offences. “The period of ban is too long, which would virtually deny me the right to be considered for selection and participation in the weightlifting competitions in my category. Inactivity on the part of an athlete for such a long time, without there being any immediate target to achieve, dissuades from maintaining weight and also preparing for any game,” Kumari had argued.

The federation on the other hand had stated that an inquiry was conducted and the ban was rightly imposed as per the constitution of the IWF which empowered the executive committee to pass such an order.

However, court observed that in weightlifting there appeared to be no mechanism with the IWF to assess the level of misbehaviour, much less indiscipline, which might attract any of the disciplinary action. There was no guideline laid down by the IWF for guidance of the disciplinary committee to recommend the punishment to the executive committee against an athlete or a competitor, the court observed.