Indian Olympic Association Should Have Resolved Internal Rift Of Volleyball Federation, Not Cancelled National Championship: Kerala High Court

Prior to the formation of the VFI, the game was controlled by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). IOA is the governing body, responsible for regulating the National Games.

Justice Devan Ramachandran observed that the IOA should have resolved the disputes within the Federation rather than cancelling the Volleyball Championship in the National Games.

“In the afore scenario, this Court can do nothing more than to hold empathy for the situation of the petitioners; but before parting, it is necessary to say that, in the interest of the game, the Indian Olympic Association ought to have resolved the disputes within the ‘Federation’, keeping in mind the schedule of National Games and without disturbing it; but alas, this has not been done, but they appear to have chosen the easier path of cancelling the competition in Volleyball itself.”

The petitioners were volleyball players who approached the Court against the decision of the Adhoc Committeee of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) to cancel the volleyball championship in the 37^th National Games of India, 2023.

Standing Counsel of the Indian Olympic Association, Piyush Kumar informed the Court that Volleyball competitions have been cancelled for the National Games 2023. It was contended that the Adhoc Committee was unable to select teams for the National Games as they were busy with Asian Games and conducting elections to the Federations. The Court was also informed that as Volleyball competitions have been cancelled for the National Games, they were proposing to conduct a Volleyball National Championship. The Court was also informed that this would be done only after the office bearers of the Federation were elected.

Standing Counsel, Latha Anand submitted before the Court that a fully trained volleyball team was ready to compete in the National Games. It was submitted that last year, the both men and women Volleyball Kerala teams have brought gold medals and that it was unfortunate that they were denied an opportunity to take part in the National Games due to disputes within the Federation.

The Court noted that it was distressing for volleyball players who have trained so hardly for the past many months in not being able to play for the National Games. The Court expressed that it was inexcusable that the power conflict between members of the Federation has taken away the chance of the petitioners from participating in the National Games.

“Their chance to participate in the prestigious National Games has been now thwarted, solely because there are conflicts among persons who were expected to be in administration of the ‘Federation’. This power conflict has unfortunately reached a situation where the competition in Volleyball itself has been taken out of the National Games; and one wonders whether it would be of any consolation for the petitioners, that it would be substituted by a National Championship, to be held sometime in the future, depending upon the elections to be conducted within the ‘Federation’.”

The Court further noted that Ad Hoc Committee of VFI should have conducted trials and selected teams for National Games, instead of giving explanations that they were busy with Asian Games or conducting elections to the Federation. It further noted that the IOA should have tried to resolve the disputes within the members of the Federation rather than cancelling the Volleyball Championship for the National Games.

On the above observations, the Court closed the writ petition.

Counsel for the petitioners: Advocates Roshen.D.Alexander, Tina Alex Thomas, Harimohan and Kochurani James

Counsel for the respondents: Standing Counsel Latha Anand and Piyush Kumar

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Ker) 629

Case title: Roli Pathak v Union of India

Case number: WP(C) NO. 35357 OF 2023

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