Court Defer to Sporting Experts: Delhi High Court Dismisses Petitions Challenging Asian Games Dressage Selection, Holds Selection Criteria Not Arbitrary

1. Case Snapshot

Case Name: Anush Agarwalla vs Ad-Hoc Committee For Governance Of Equestrian Federation Of India & Ors

Citation: W.P.(C) 8290/2026 & W.P.(C) 8329/2026

High Court: High Court of Delhi

Bench: Hon'ble Ms. Justice Mini Pushkarna (Vacation Judge)

Date of Judgment: 29th June, 2026

Area of Law: Constitutional Law, Sports Law, Administrative Law, Judicial Review of Selection Process

2. Judgment in Brief

The Delhi High Court dismissed two writ petitions challenging the selection process for the Indian Dressage Team for the 20th Asian Games, 2026. The petitioners, who were placed as Reserve No. 1 and Reserve No. 2 respectively, sought to be included in the final selection list of four riders. The Court held that the selection process followed by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) was in consonance with the prescribed Selection Criteria and was not manifestly arbitrary or perverse. The Court applied the settled principle that courts should not interfere with the decisions of expert bodies in matters of sports selection, except where the decision is illogical, suffers from procedural impropriety, or shocks the conscience. The Court rejected the petitioner's claim that scores from different events should be combined in a particular manner, finding that the EFI had correctly applied the Selection Criteria. The Court also held that the petitioner had waived the objection of bias by not challenging the composition of the Selection Committee at the appropriate time. The petitions were dismissed.

3. Relevant Facts

Background of the Selection

• The Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) is the National Sports Federation for Equestrian Sports in India, recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI).

• EFI issued a Selection Criteria Version 4.0 for selecting the Indian Dressage Team for the 20th Asian Games, scheduled in Japan from 19th September to 4th October, 2026.

• Amendments to the Selection Criteria were made on 17th April, 2026.

• The Dressage Event consists of three tests: Prix St. Georges (PSG), Intermediate I, and Intermediate I Freestyle.

The Selection Process

• The qualifying window was from 15th November, 2025 to 15th June, 2026.

• Each horse-rider combination could participate in up to four nominated qualifying competitions.

• For determination of comparative merit, only the best two results in which MERs had been achieved were considered.

• At least one MER must have been achieved within the period from 17th April, 2026 to 15th June, 2026.

• For riders based abroad, if a competition did not have all three tests, they could participate in these tests in other competitions on subsequent days to acquire MERs, with mandatory prior intimation to EFI.

The Impugned Selection List

• On 16th June, 2026, EFI released the selection list for the Asian Games Dressage Team.

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