Ministry joins Equestrian fraternity in awaiting Waziri Panel report 

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, aware of and concerned by the governance impasse in the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), has indicated that it is awaiting the report of the Fact Finding Committee appointed by the High Court of Delhi before taking steps to bring the sport back on rails. 

The Committee, headed by Justice (retd) Najmi Waziri, has five members. It was appointed by a Judgement passed by Justice Sanjeev Narula on January 7 and was given three months from the date of its constitution to submit a comprehensive report on infrastructure, participation and representation, functionality of State Associations and the role of clubs in the sport. 

Ministry sources revealed that the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya recently held a meeting with some members of the EFI Executive Committee, reinstated by the High Court, to see if some resolution could be found. However, the EFI representatives were unable to arrive at a consensus despite the Minister’s well-meaning effort.

The Minister was keen that Equestrian athletes do not face uncertainties until EFI holds its long-due elections. However, with a vast majority of the EFI Executive Committee continuing its stand-off with the ‘suspended’ Secretary-General Col. Jaiveer Singh (retd.), the Ministry has been left with no choice but to await the report of the Fact Finding Committee.

From the time the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 was made public, Ministry had insisted that EFI follow the Code and the Model Election Guidelines which lay down that only each State and Union Territory Sports Association (and not individuals and clubs) could vote in the general body. 

Two years after sharing a roadmap for Code-compliance in 2017, EFI reneged and sought exemption. In November 2021, the Ministry granted EFI exemption from complying with some critical clauses. Justice Narula held that the “exemptions has been given with undue emphasis on the perceived peculiarity of the sport, particularly the argument that ‘horses are athletes’.”

The Court noted that even though exemptions has been granted, the broader objectives of the Sports Code – representation, inclusivity and grassroots development – remained unmet. Justice Narula held that the exemptions had institutionalised an unequal system where clubs dominate governance, sidelining State and Union Territory associations.

He said without a detailed fact-finding exercise before the exemptions were granted, the decision appears to have been a endorsement of EFI’s request, without independently verifying the actual state of facilities or participation. He held that the exemptions granted to EFI were arbitrary and lacked substantive factual foundation.

The Judge specified that the absence of a duly elected body has caused significant challenges in the administration of Equestrian sport in the country and could potentially expose EFI to repercussions at the international level. With that as the cornerstone of his decision, Justice Narula directed the constitution of the Fact Finding Committee.

Though the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ Target Olympic Podium Scheme Chief Executive Officer Col. NS Johal is a member of the Fact Finding Committee, it would appear  as the committee has kept a lid of secrecy on its functioning and there is no word on when the report will be ready.

Meanwhile, there have been reports of the EFI bank account being frozen because of contradictory claims by the Executive Committee and the ‘suspended’ Secretary-General. With the Asian Equestrian Championships coming up later this year, it is imperative that the governance imbroglio is addressed soonest.

The future of Equestrian sport – mainly its governance – hinges on the Justice Waziri Committee report. Till a few days ago, it was only the Equestrian fraternity that was looking forward to it, but now the Ministry has joined the list of those awaiting the report so that it can soon make a considered decision.