Sports bodies - Utilisation of sports facilities -SC

“The government cannot allow sports facilities and sports bodies to be hijacked by person totally unconnected with sports for private gain or for benefit of an exclusive few.”

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has warned against sports bodies being hijacked by “people unconnected to the field” and said government must not allow sports facilities — costing hundreds of crores of rupees and created for sporting events —to crumble because of lack of maintenance.
The judgment came on a PIL which alleged that the Kapil Pavillion in Faridabad's Nahar Singh Stadium had been rented out to a tent house for commercial gains and the facilities at the stadium had been converted into a private club by district authorities.
A bench of Justices RV Raveendran and HL Gokhale said: “The government cannot allow sports facilities and sports bodies to be hijacked by person totally unconnected with sports for private gain or for benefit of an exclusive few.”
It faulted the Punjab and Haryana High Court for cursorily dealing with a PIL raising an important issue relating to utilisation of sports facilities and remanded the matter to the HC to render a considered decision.
However, it could not help but reflect critically on the sad state of affairs of sports, corruption and crumbling infrastructure.
“Development of sports infrastructure does not mean spending hundreds of crores of rupees for infrastructure for some international even and then allowing the entire infrastructure to go waste, but to ensure continuous and effective use of those facilities and provide adequate maintenance and upkeep,” said Justice Raveendran, who authored the judgment for the bench.
“Basic infrastructure should be made available at village, taluka and district levels and there should be a comprehensive plan for optimum utilisation of the facilities already available so that they are accessible to sports persons,” the court said, adding: “Participation in sports and sports competitions builds patriotism and national pride, apart from other regular benefits. The State and its instrumentalities should wake up to their responsibilities in regard to the citizens and youth of this country in regard to human resource development.”