The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has notified India that an additional seat for shooter Naresh Kumar Sharma recently petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn his non-selection for the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 will not be available.
According to an email to the National Paralympic Committee (NPC), “NPC India was granted and accepted ten qualification spots won via the qualification procedure (Eight male and two female). The NPC, not the individual athlete, was given these spots, as you are aware. We are unable to grant any extra WSPS slots since all of the slots have been assigned in line with the stated Qualification Criteria.”
On Monday, August 2, the Supreme Court instructed the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) to include five-time Paralympic shooter Naresh Kumar Sharma as an additional participant in the Tokyo Paralympics 50-meter para shooter event.
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The PCI was given until Tuesday to report on the order’s compliance. The Paralympics are set to begin on August 24, and Monday was the deadline for submitting event titles. Sharma has won the Arjuna Award. He said the PCI’s decision to leave him out of the Tokyo tournament was “arbitrary and prejudiced.”
A bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, BR Gavai, and Krishna Murari instructed the PCI to suggest his name as an extra participant in the Tokyo event without dislodging already selected applicants yesterday. He has previously appealed his exclusion from the international tournament for physically challenged athletes in the Delhi High Court. Even though the Committee’s decision was arbitrary, the High Court did not issue immediate orders for his inclusion on the list.
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Now it’s up to the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and Sports Ministry to see if something could happen to include the rightly deserving Naresh Kumar.
