New Delhi: National Sports Federations (NSFs) are now required to finalize their selection policies for major sporting events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games at least two years ahead of time and post them on their websites. This is part of the new guidelines from the Sports Ministry regarding how athletes are selected for international competitions and coaching camps.

According to the Sports Ministry's instructions released on Wednesday, the selection criteria for these major events, including the Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games, Para Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games, must be clearly communicated and available on the NSF's website two years before the events kick off.

For other international competitions, the selection criteria should also be established in advance, with any necessary changes made at least three months before the event.

These measures aim to enhance transparency and fairness in the selection process, preventing athletes from having to resort to legal action. The Sports Ministry is also requiring federations to implement a “grievance redressal mechanism” to address complaints from athletes, ensuring their issues are resolved within a week.

In the last Olympic cycle, numerous athletes from various sports, including boxing, wrestling, shooting, and equestrian, took legal action over selection disputes. Many athletes have voiced concerns about inconsistent selection processes, delays in policy announcements, and frequent changes to the criteria, prompting them to seek legal solutions.

Now, athletes who are unhappy with the selection committee's decisions can file their complaints with the NSFs' ‘Grievance Redressal Committee’.

National Sports Federations (NSFs) need to set up a system where athletes who feel wronged by the selection committee's decisions can voice their concerns. Any issues related to selection should be looked into and resolved quickly, ideally within seven days of the grievance being filed, as directed by the Sports Ministry.

The grievance redressal or appeal committee must always include retired athletes of Outstanding Merit (SOM) who have been out of active sports for at least four years, and no one from the selection committee can be part of this group. If needed, a second appeal can be made to the Dispute Resolution Commission (DRC) of the federations.

According to the Ministry, selection policies should have clear and consistent criteria to ensure fairness and transparency in how athletes are assessed.

Athlete selection must be conducted fairly and transparently, following pre-established policies and criteria. NSFs should implement a uniform selection policy for all events, including national camps, and this policy should be available on the NSF website. Any changes to the policy should be made at least three months before the relevant event.

Additionally, selection trials or domestic competitions that could influence selections for international events must be recorded on video and sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) along with financial assistance proposals.

The Sports Ministry or SAI may also appoint an observer for these trials, who will provide independent reports.

A Sports Ministry official noted that there have been many court cases from athletes regarding unfair trials. The government aims to minimize these legal disputes and streamline the selection process. Hence, they have mandated video recording of trials and the presence of a neutral observer from SAI for all trials.

Training retreats

The selection policy needs to outline how athletes will be chosen for coaching camps, with criteria set at least three months before national camps start. Plus, the selection process for national campers should be recorded on video.

When the government covers the costs for national coaches and support staff, their selection will be handled by a committee led by the president of the NSF, along with the SOM, a former international player chosen by the NSF, and will also include the director general of SAI or their representative.

Personal coaches and support staff for athletes competing internationally will be considered based on their qualifications.

If the Sports Ministry or SAI feels that the NSF's athlete selections lack fairness and transparency, they have the right to approve participation without any cost to the government.

Extensive list

The names of athletes, coaches, support staff, and officials will be added to the extensive list of major sporting events after giving a heads-up to the Ministry, along with the reasons and justifications for the names being suggested.

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