As many as 192 players from the state would now be able to participate in the Mini Olympic Games, presently underway in Pune, after the Bombay High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Maha Basketball Association for not being supportive of them.
Stating that the association “could not issue fatwas”, the bench asked the body to withdraw the circular, which stipulated that any player, coach, manager or support staff from the association participating in the games would not be allowed to appear for future tournaments organised by the association or Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
The court was hearing a petition filed by five basketball players associated with district-level basketball associations.
The petitioner had raised grievance over a circular issued by the Nagpur-based association on December 25, 2022, which stated that MBA has not granted sanction to the Mini Olympics Games being held between January 2 and 12 this year.
A division bench of Justice G S Patel and Justice S G Dige was hearing the plea challenging the said circular.
Advocates Saket Mone and Devansh Shah, representing the petitioners, argued that the players wanted to play basketball and could join the games through their individual district associations.
The lawyer for MBA submitted that the Maharashtra Olympic Association had not giving official recognition to the body.
“Do not make this into an affiliation politics. Just let them play basketball. We will stay this order. You cannot issue fatwas like this. You are putting an end to a person’s sporting career,” the bench said.
The court remarked that the association was being ignorant of the passion of the players and conditions they deal with to play the sport.
“Do you understand the condition of basketball in the state? Who are these players? Drivers, bus conductors… They start playing at 11 in the night. They find a court, and then they play. This is their only passion, and you are out to kill it. You will not prejudice these players,” the bench orally remarked.
The court then asked the association to inform it if it was willing to withdraw the circular. It warned the association against opposing the players and asked it to ensure they automatically get the membership and are permitted to take part in Mini Olympics.
The counsel for the association took instructions from the officials concerned and told the court that the circular has been withdrawn.