The Bombay High Court today directed Badminton Association of India (BAI) to file an affidavit indicating the performance of those shuttlers selected for the national team to participate in upcoming international tournaments.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha sought the affidavit while hearing an application made by shuttler Prajakta Sawant stating that BAI's selection committee headed by chief national coach Pullela Gopichand was not selecting her.
Sawant had earlier in a petition alleged mental harassment by Gopichand after she was refused entry to the All India National Coaching Camp in Hyderabad. She had also claimed Gopichand promoted players from his own private academy.
The High Court had in March this year directed BAI to accept Sawant's application to participate in the tournaments that were to be held in May and June. The court had asked Maharashtra government to consider granting money to Sawant.
Following this, the state government had handed over Rs 3 lakh to Sawant and she had participated in the international tournaments held then. The court was today informed by BAI's lawyer that Sawant's performance was not up to the mark and hence she has not been selected this time.
The lawyer added that even if she is allowed to participate in the tournaments, she would have to bear her own expenditure. "What about the allegations she (Sawant) has levelled that selections for the national team are made only from Gopichand's academy?
File an affidavit indicating the performance of those players who have been selected and the tournaments they have participated in," the court directed. The court also asked BAI to accept the application made by Sawant to participate in the upcoming international tournaments.
"We will decide later as to who will bear the expenditure. As of now, you (BAI) accept it and forward to the concerned authority," the court said posting the matter for hearing on October 22.u00a0
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