[Tokyo Paralympics] 'His Performance Has Not Been Up To The Mark': PCI Tells Delhi HC In Shooter Naresh Sharma's Plea Against Non-Selection

The Paralympic Committee of India on Friday told the Delhi High Court that it has not discriminated against Arjuna Awardee shooter Naresh Kumar Sharma during selection for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games.

Advocate Mahavir Rawat, appearing for the body, informed the Court that shooter Deepak, in whose place Sharma seeks to participate, earned a quota for the Tokyo Games and scored 23 points more than Sharma in one of the events.

"He (Sharma) is a good shooter. We are proud of him. But a player should accept both victory as well as defeat. His performance has not been up to the mark in the last 2-3 years," Rawat told the Court.

The Bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh was hearing an appeal preferred by Sharma from a Single Judge order, refusing to interfere with the decision of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), the apex body for promotion and development of Para Sports in India, to not shortlist him for the Tokyo Games 2020.

Notice on the matter was issued on July 30, following which the matter reached the Supreme Court for urgent relief. The Top Court had asked PCI to recommend Sharma's name for the event and report compliance. Later, the matter was disposed of after the International Paralympic Committee said that it is not possible to include Sharma as an additional participant from India. Sharma was however granted liberty to argue before the High Court whether he should be sent in place of another candidate, Deepak.

Before the High Court, Rawat claimed that only 154 shooters can participate in Paralympics. For selection purposes, there are events where a country earns a quota to represent itself. "The number of quotas you earn, the number of shooters we can send for Paralympics," he said.

He added that Deepak was successful in getting a quota for the country. "Deepak was number 4 in Peru Championship. He earned a quota. He is a national champion," Rawat told the Court.

On the issue of bipartite entry, Rawat said that the PCI had recommended Sharma's name to IPC saying that he is a good shooter. "But IPC responded saying that our quota is only of 10 people. What more can we do?" he argued.

In his plea, Sharma had alleged that to be eligible for participating in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, a para shooter must have participated in at least two international competitions approved by the WSPS (World Shooting Para Sports). Singh pointed out that the said Deepak had merely participated in one such event and the Committee has wrongly considered Serbia Grand Prix for calculating his marks, even though the said event is not a part of the recognized WSPS competition in terms of Rule 1.2 and 2.9.

Rawat on the other hand claimed that the WSPS has recognized Serbia event as an international event in this case.

"Since Deepak had only one international event, WSPS said that if you can participate and win in Serbia Grand Prix then fine. Else, Deepak's MQS quota will be terminated. So I am getting a recognition for Serbia event," he argued.

The Court will continue hearing the matter tomorrow, i.e. August 10.

Case Title: Naresh Kumar Sharma v. PCI