New Delhi, Feb 20 (PTI) Cross country skiier Manjeet, who missed the Winter Olympics due to a selection controversy, has been allowed by the Delhi High Court to initiate contempt proceedings against an Indian Olympic Association official for “prima facie adopting a misleading approach” while communicating with the international body on this issue.
In a January 30 order, the High Court came down heavily on the IOA and described its selection criteria for the ongoing Games in Milano-Cortina, Italy as “manifestly arbitrary and unfair”, while directing the body to facilitate Manjeet’s participation.
However, Manjeet could not go as the deadline to submit the long list of athletes was long over and the choice of IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee, Stanzin Lundup, represented the country ultimately in the Games that began on February 6.
Lundup finished near the bottom in the men’s 10km freestyle cross-country skiing event, taking the 104th spot on February 13.
On directions of the court, IOA’s legal counsel S Kumudavalli had initially written to Jelena Dojcinovic from the FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation), seeking her assistance for Manjeet’s inclusion.
The FIS, however, asked the IOA to take up the matter directly with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which in turn made it clear that India’s request could not be accommodated owing to a pre-determined deadline.
Interestingly, Jelena Dojcinovic is a member of the ad-hoc committee that cleared Lundup’s selection and while communicating with her, the IOA didn’t just cite the court judgement but also explained the selection criteria on the basis of which it left out Manjeet.
The High Court has now stated that the IOA’s approach was akin to misquoting the judgement.
“My attention has been drawn to an e-mail dated 30.01.2026 at 09:53:15 PM addressed on behalf of the CEO of the Indian Olympic Association wherein while interpreting the judgment of this Court the adopted approach prima facie seems to be misleading and misquoting of the judgment,” Justice Jasmeet said in his order.
“For the said reasons, the petitioner is at liberty to initiate the contempt proceedings,” the fresh order further stated.
The High Court’s earlier ruling had stated that Manjeet was the “most meritorious and two places above Mr. Stanzin Lundup” as per the list published by FIS on January 16, 2026.
In a later order, the HC said that it “has not commented on participation of Lundup or interdicted the same.” The Sports Ministry on February 6 approved Lundup’s participation at the Winter Olympics at no cost to government after the IOA stated that it was not possible to replace him with Manjeet.
India’s other participant, top alpine skiier Arif Mohammad Khan finished 39th in the men’s slalom event after two combined runs on February 16.
Manjeet had pleaded to “quash and set aside subsequent actions undertaken by Respondent authority” in violation of the January 30 judgment.
In the alternative, he pleaded that the HC may direct the Respondents to compensate him adequately, by awarding cost of litigation and a minimum sum of Rs 20,00,000 “for the irreparable loss of opportunity, financial hardship, and prejudice suffered due to their arbitrary and unlawful actions, so as to secure substantive justice and uphold the constitutional guarantee of fairness.” The single bench, however, said “in view of the order passed, the application for amendment has also become infructuous and is disposed of.” PTI PDS PM PDS PM PM
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