Delhi High Court Halts GFI Elections:
Delhi High Court Puts Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) Election on Hold
The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order to halt the upcoming elections for the executive committee of the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI). The decision comes in response to a petition filed by Padmaja Garikipati, the mother of Ananya, a record-holding gymnast from Hyderabad, against the Federation.
She alleged that the GFI had not adhered to the National Development Sports Code norms and claimed that her daughter had fallen victim to political maneuvering within the Federation, despite her significant achievements in international competitions.
Padmaja expressed her view on the court’s decision, stating, “The Court’s verdict is a moral victory. But I am looking forward to getting justice, with the Federation being mandated to abide by the sports code. Once that happens, everything will be streamlined, and reforms in the sports bodies will be brought about.”
She further alleged that her daughter had faced discrimination during the National Games in October and the Senior National Games in December the previous year. According to Padmaja, Ananya was unfairly scored despite her strong performances. She also mentioned that her daughter was not invited to participate in the selection trials for the Asian Championship in March, a fundamental right for any athlete.
Padmaja, an ophthalmologist by profession and a former panel member of the Kehlo India program, has served as her daughter’s unofficial coach and accompanied her to various international events.
She suggested that her daughter’s decision to be trained under world-class coaches might have led to the discrimination she faced. Padmaja also claimed that Ananya was criticized for not having a coach and expressed that, despite the challenges and politics in the sport, she has motivated her daughter to continue her gymnastics career.
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