Srinagar, July 17 (KNB): The Department of Youth Services & Sports, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, on Friday issued a detailed clarification regarding the non-selection of Wushu athlete Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh under the provisions of S.O.-12 of 2022, asserting that the decision was taken strictly in accordance with the statutory recruitment rules governing the appointment of Outstanding Sportspersons.
In an official statement issued to the news agency Kashmir News Bureau (KNB), the Department said it had taken note of certain statements made by the athlete on various media platforms alleging injustice in his non-selection and deemed it necessary to place the factual and legal position before the public.
The Department acknowledged that Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh had represented India and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in Wushu and had secured medals during his sporting career. However, it clarified that appointments under S.O.-12 of 2022 are governed solely by the statutory eligibility conditions prescribed in the Rules and not merely by sporting achievements.
According to the statement, during the scrutiny of applications received under S.O.-12 of 2022, all claims were subjected to detailed verification through the concerned National and International Sports Federations and other competent authorities. The verification, it said, established that the athlete had been found guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee in Doping Case No. 2018-IC-01 through a decision dated June 4, 2019.
The Department stated that the disciplinary decision recorded the presence of prohibited substances—Mephentermine and Phentermine—in the athlete’s sample, resulting in his ineligibility under the IWUF Anti-Doping Rules, imposition of a ban and disqualification of competitive results, including forfeiture of medals, awards, ranking points and other sporting benefits.
It further said that every applicant under S.O.-12 of 2022 was required to submit a declaration affirming that they had not been found guilty of any Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Despite the international disciplinary decision, the Department alleged that the athlete declared that he had not been found guilty of such a violation.
The Department said furnishing a declaration contrary to official records raises serious concerns regarding the correctness of information supplied during a government recruitment process, adding that truthful disclosure is an essential requirement and any incorrect declaration attracts legal consequences under the applicable rules.
Referring to Rule 4(ii) of S.O.-12 of 2022, the Department said the provision expressly disqualifies any applicant found guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and leaves no discretion with the Selection Committee to relax or ignore the statutory bar.
It further maintained that the Selection Committee constituted under Rule 3(2) was mandated only to scrutinize applications in accordance with the notified Rules and had no legal authority to dilute or reinterpret the prescribed disqualification.
The statement also noted that the athlete had challenged the anti-doping proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the challenge did not result in the anti-doping findings being set aside. Consequently, the Department said, the findings of the competent anti-doping authority continued to remain operative and binding.
Rejecting allegations of arbitrary action, the Department said the athlete was provided a reasonable opportunity to present his case and submit all relevant documents before the competent authority. After examining the representation and applicable statutory provisions, it concluded that the disqualification under Rule 4(ii) was clearly attracted and the decision, along with the reasons, was duly communicated to the applicant.
The Department reiterated that recruitment under S.O.-12 of 2022 had been conducted after multi-level scrutiny and verification by competent authorities and that every applicant had been assessed uniformly in accordance with the notified eligibility conditions.
It also urged stakeholders to refrain from circulating misleading or incomplete narratives that overlook the statutory framework governing the recruitment process, stating that public confidence in institutions is strengthened through adherence to law and transparency.
Reaffirming its commitment to promoting clean sport, the Department said the Government would continue to recognise deserving athletes who uphold the highest standards of integrity, fairness and sportsmanship while uniformly enforcing anti-doping regulations and recruitment rules without fear or favour. (KNB)