Empowering Dreams: Delhi High Court’s Landmark Ruling Supports Young Athletes Without Birth Certificates
The Delhi High Court has ruled that the lack of a birth certificate due to socioeconomic backwardness cannot be the sole reason to bar individuals from participating in sports events. This decision came as the court heard a petition from basketball players challenging the Basketball Federation of India’s (BFI) stringent age verification rules, which they argued could unfairly exclude underprivileged children.
Justice Sachin Datta, in his January 27 order, emphasized that socio-economic challenges sometimes make it difficult to obtain birth certificates or related age-verifying documents within a certain timeframe from birth. He asserted that such individuals should not be deprived of the opportunity to participate in sports.
The petitioners, including Deepak Jain from Uttar Pradesh, Chandini from Maharashtra, and others, contested the BFI’s rule requiring birth certificates from within the first five years of birth, arguing it disproportionately affected underprivileged youth linked to Dribble Academy Foundation in Noida. Their lawyer, Amartya Bhushan, highlighted the disadvantage faced by these children, who often cannot challenge such rules due to limited resources.
To prevent age fraud, BFI had tightened age verification rules over the years, reducing the certificate requirement period annually. The players argued this process unfairly disadvantaged them due to their socioeconomic conditions. They sought adherence to the ‘National Code against Age Fraud in Sports,’ requiring medical examination for age-restricted competitions.
Despite BFI’s claims of inadequate facilities for accurate age verification, the court criticized BFI for using cost as a barrier and failing to address the hardships on young sportspersons. The court also noted a lack of substantial explanation from BFI on not following the National Code.
As a result of the ruling, players like Jain express optimism about now having the chance to compete at higher levels. Pradyot Voleti, founder of Dribble Academy, highlighted how such opportunities can lead to significant educational and employment prospects for children from economically challenged backgrounds.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/due-to-lack-of-birth-certificate-cant-deny-one-from-taking-part-in-sports-events-delhi-high-court-9833158/
Category : Cities,Delhi
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Publish Date: 2025-02-13 03:19:00
