Elections due for more than two years, Yachting Association enjoys MYAS recognition

The drivers of Indian sports ecosystem lose no opportunity to reiterate commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability as embodied in the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 and the Olympic Charter, but it appears that uniform application of these principles is the realms of wishful thinking.

The hurry with which officials of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports accorded the Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) the status of a National Sports Federation is an example. The National Sports Development Code of India 2011 prescribes a three-year period of existence before such recognition can be granted. IPA was formed less than a year ago.

Just as glaring is the continued recognition of the Yachting Association of India (YAI) though its elections have been due for more than two and a half years. Most athletes have been left largely to their own devices to pursue the sport of their choice since the focus of the Executive Council seems to be its own survival in chair rather than athlete development

Ministry officials who quickly directed the Sports Authority of India to form an ad hoc committee to perform the tasks of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) because it had delayed its elections, have surprisingly allowed YAI Executive Committee to continue in office for way longer than their terms. 

The PCI instance found echoes in a court case. The Andhra Pradesh Sailing Association (APSA) moved the High Court of Andhra Pradesh at Amaravati seeking directions to Yachting Association of India (YAI) to hold its elections in accordance with the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 and the exemptions granted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2022.  

However, Justice K Manmadha Rao ruled that since APSA was neither a YAI  member nor recognised by the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, it was not entitled to claim relief. From his order issued on December 20 last, it is clear that the YAI Executive Committee on September 3, 2024, finally discussed the issue of elections pending since October 2022.

“The Council members discussed the issue of pending YAI elections due to State-only voting criteria. The members were of the opinion that an affidavit may be prepared and filed in Court for seeking approval of conduct of YAI elections as per the existing structure. The options of impleading YAI in the ongoing Court case or to request MYAS to submit YAI affidavit as part of their comprehensive GoI affidavit were deliberated.

“All Council members agreed to submit the affidavit to MYAS with a request to seek permission of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi for conduct of YAI elections as per the amended YAI General Rules wherein YAI will comply with all provisions of NSDCI 2011 except the State only voting criteria.

“The President approved the proposal to submit the affidavit to MYAS with a request to seek permission of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court for conduct of YAI elections as per the amended YAI General Rules,” Justice Manmadha Rao’s order quoted the YAI Executive Council Minutes of Meeting as having recorded.

Apparently, despite having secured some limited exemptions from the Ministry with regard to National Sports Code-compliance, YAI wanted no alterations in the electoral college. A look at the electoral college that decided the composition of the Executive Council in 2019 will reveal that 20 Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centres were part of in the 55-member electoral college. 

It is not known if YAI submitted an affidavit to the Ministry to present before the High Court of Delhi. Or, if the Ministry has permitted YAI to defer elections. What is clear is that elections to the YAI Executive Council have been due since November 2022. Its Council members, including those without a vote, have exceeded their welcome.

The YAI elections were last conducted on October 24, 2019, and the Ministry granted it recognition for a year on November 27, 2020, indicating that the election was under examination. On April 7, 2022, when the Ministry granted exemption to YAI from complying with a couple of provisions of the Sports Code, it did not indicate a decision on the elections held in 2019.

However, in telling that YAI that it need not have two-third State/UT associations as voting members, Ministry did not direct it to ensure that clubs were not part of the electoral college. That seems to have given the YAI officials – in particular officers who have held nominated rather than elected positions – a glimmer of hope.

On January 22, 2024, Ministry renewed YA’s annual recognition for the year 2023. A year later, on January 20, 2025, it renewed the annual recognition for 2024. Neither of these letters even had a semblance of asking for elections to be held in accordance with the Sports Code (and the exemptions). 

It is understandable that the elections to the Equestrian Federation of India have not been held because of the ongoing case in the High Court of Delhi. But it is hard to comprehend how the Yachting Association of India has been allowed to govern the sport when the term of office of the elected and nominated personnel has ended several moons ago.