Nishka Srinivas Veluvali –
Published On: December 05, 2021 at 17:30 IST
Olympian Renjith Maheshwary advanced to the Kerala High Court opposing the press notice issued by the Secretary, Department of Sports, that withheld the Arjuna Award titled to him in 2013 for athletics.
Upon hearing the Plea of the Olympian, the Single Bench of Justice N Nagaresh issued a notice to the Respondents.
“After being informed that the petitioner will be conferred with the Arjuna Award for Athletics in 2013, the petitioner was informed orally by the Secretary to the Sports Department to withdraw from the ceremony just before the award ceremony. Thereafter, the Department issued another press release mentioning that the award has been kept in abeyance pending investigation about an alleged suspension and ban in 2008 doping charges during the 46th National Open Championship held at Kochi,” the Plea of the triple jumper stated.
The Olympian even claimed that he was unaware about the doping charges in 2008-2009 or the punishments for the same. He had never faced any disciplinary action for such charges in his career.
The Petition claims that there was no official communication given to him or his parental institution, Indian Railways except for the said press release.
Maheshwary through his Plea seeks the Courts direction for the Secretary to abrogate the notice to cancel the Arjuna Award that was primarily titled to him.
He has also requested the Court to direct the Respondent to submit the list of the sportsperson who had violated the doping rules and against whom the latter took the action in the period of January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2008.