Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and advocate Malak Bhatt, representing Shankar, had submitted that he has been excluded despite being the national high jump record holder (2.29m) and being the only Indian to have met the AFI qualification standard of 2.27m with a jump of 2.27m as recently as June 10, 2022, while winning a gold medal at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championship 2022 in Eugene, Oregon in the USA.
The plea said that Shankar is also part of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the last two years which is a flagship Olympic development scheme under the Ministry of Sports and has been receiving a scholarship for the same.
It said that the petitioner has not been considered by the AFI for failing to take permission to be exempted from attending the 2022 interstate championships which cannot be a disqualifying criterion.
The counsel had said Shankar had sought exemption from interstate championships as they clashed with the NCAA championship and had informed the chief national coach through WhatsApp messages.
“The petitioner is at present, indisputably, the best Indian high jumper in the world, and on the basis of current form is undoubtedly a medal contender at the CWG 2022. In fact, only two high jumpers (both non-Indian) who will prospectively be competing at the CWG 2022 have a better jump than him this year,” the counsel had submitted.
The plea had said it is in the interest of the nation that Shankar be allowed to participate in the CWG 2022, based on his merit, as established from his jumping record, both recent and otherwise.PTI SKV