Sports Ministry follows court order, withdraws recognition of 54 NSFs

Following the Delhi High Court's order, the Sports Ministry has withdrawn the annual recognition granted to 54 National Sports Federations (NSFs).

On Wednesday, the High Court directed the ministry to revoke the provisional recognition it had given to 54 NSFs on May 11. The court had said that the ministry by doing so has not complied with an order that was issued on February 7 this year.

The order had required the ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to "inform the court in advance" while taking "any decision in relation to the NSFs."

Sports Ministry Deputy Secretary SPS Tomar on Thursday wrote a letter to SAI Director General Sandeep Pradhan saying: "I am directed to refer to this Ministry's letter of even dated 02.06.2020 regarding renewal of annual recognition of National Sports Federations for the year 2020 and to say that in compliance of the order dated 24.06.2020 passed by the Hon'ble Delhi Court, the department's letter of even number dated 02.06.2020 granting provisional annual recognition of 54 NSFs stands withdrawn."

The court in its order on Wednesday said that the ministry "shall issue a fresh notice within two days intimating all the 54 NSFs concerned that its order giving provisional renewal till 30.09.2020, stands recalled."

The ministry usually provides recognition until the end of the year but it has in this instance only given it provisionally until the end of the year.