Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Youth Services and Sports on Friday rejected allegations made by Wushu athlete Surya Bhanu Pratap Singh regarding his non-selection under S.O.-12 of 2022, saying he was disqualified in accordance with the recruitment rules governing appointments of outstanding sportspersons.
In a statement, the department acknowledged Singh’s achievements in representing India and Jammu and Kashmir in Wushu but said eligibility for appointment under S.O.-12 of 2022 is determined strictly by the statutory provisions of the recruitment rules and not by sporting achievements alone.
It said all applications received under the recruitment process were subjected to detailed scrutiny and verification through the concerned national and international sports federations and other competent authorities.
According to the department, the verification revealed that Singh had been held guilty of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation by the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee in a decision dated June 4, 2019. The decision, it said, recorded the presence of prohibited substances in his sample, leading to his suspension and disqualification of competitive results under the IWUF Anti-Doping Rules.
The department further alleged that applicants under S.O.-12 of 2022 were required to declare they had not been found guilty of any anti-doping rule violation, but Singh submitted a declaration stating he had not been held guilty despite the disciplinary decision.
It said Rule 4(ii) of S.O.-12 of 2022 mandates the disqualification of any applicant found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation, leaving no discretion to the Selection Committee.
The department also said Singh had challenged the disciplinary action before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the anti-doping findings were not set aside and therefore continued to remain valid.
Rejecting allegations of arbitrary action, the department said Singh was given an opportunity to present his case and submit supporting documents before the competent authority passed a reasoned order disqualifying him under the applicable rules.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and fairness, the department said the recruitment process under S.O.-12 of 2022 was conducted strictly in accordance with the notified rules after multi-level scrutiny and verification by the competent authorities.
It also urged stakeholders not to circulate misleading or incomplete information that overlooks the statutory provisions governing the recruitment process.
