New Delhi, Jun 18 (PTI) Indian dressage rider Anush Agarwala has questioned his exclusion from the country’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games, alleging lack of transparency in the selection process and seeking details of the calculations and criteria used by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) ad-hoc panel.
The EFI recently named India’s Dressage squad for the Games comprising Shruti Vora (Magnanimous), Gaurav Pundir (Milli), Jai Sud (Goofy La Perla), and Hriday Chheda (Dono Di Maggio), leaving out Agarwala, India’s lone dressage representative at the Paris Olympics and a member of the gold medal-winning team at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Agarwala was named a reserve member along with Sudipti Hajela.
In a letter addressed to the panel after a meeting with EFI official Col. Sandeep Dewan — who is a member of EFI Dressage committee — Agarwala claimed he was denied access to the merit calculations on the basis of which the dressage team was selected and was not informed whether the final decision had been taken by the ad-hoc committee or the selection committee.
The Germany-based rider said he had travelled to India to seek clarity on his omission from the squad but was repeatedly told that the selection had been conducted fairly and in accordance with the laid-down criteria. According to Agarwala, his requests to examine the calculations and understand the basis of selection were turned down.
Agarwala also alleged that a provision in the selection criteria calling for a final trial among probable riders before the team announcement was not followed. He claimed he was informed that the selection committee did not consider another trial necessary, despite the clause being part of the published criteria.
The rider further stated that his attempts to seek clarification from acting ad-hoc committee president Yashodhara Singh and chief technical advisor Adhiraj Singh had not yielded a response, prompting him to formally raise the matter with the panel.
Agarwala is India’s most accomplished dressage rider in recent years. Riding Sir Caramello, he became the first Indian dressage rider to qualify for the Olympic Games, representing the country at the Paris Olympics.
He was also a member of the Indian team that won a historic gold medal in dressage at the Asian Games, ending a four-decade wait for an equestrian gold at the continental showpiece. He has consistently been India’s highest-ranked dressage rider on the international circuit.
The EFI has been functioning under an ad-hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Association after governance-related disputes and administrative issues within the national federation. The panel has been overseeing the sport’s affairs, including selections for major international competitions, until fresh elections are conducted.
The ad-hoc committee was appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on March 27 following a Delhi High Court directive that called for restoration of democratic governance in the federation after the tenure of the previous executive committee expired in 2023.
The four-member panel, headed by Yashodhara Raje Scindia, was tasked with administering the federation, reforming its constitution and conducting fresh elections.
However, the committee itself has not been free from controversy.
Last month, the IOA removed member (Administration) Col. Ashok Yadav from the panel, citing complaints regarding his conduct and functioning. Yadav, in turn, alleged that he was sidelined for opposing what he described as attempts to favour certain riders and bypass established selection rules, exposing divisions within the ad-hoc body. PTI APS APS PDS APS APS
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