Selection Criteria for Dressage by EFI Upheld

The Delhi High Court has dismissed the petition filed by Shruti Vora, a distinguished Indian dressage athlete, challenging the Selection Criteria Notice 2024 issued by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI). Asian Games gold medalist, Anush Agarwalla, was thus cleared to represent India at the dressage event at the Paris Olympics, 2024, for the first time.

The court observed that its role was not to determine the optimal criteria for selection but to ensure that the criteria applied did not violate basic principles of fairness or due process. While the petitioner advocated for a model that prioritized recent results, the selection system employed by EFI considering a broader range of performances was neither irrational nor arbitrary. It was a reasoned approach that aims to identify athletes who demonstrate sustained excellence, a critical factor for success in events such as the Olympic games. Absent clear evidence of arbitrary or capricious decision making, or a selection criterion that blatantly disregarded fairness or applicable standards, the Court had to defer to the expertise and discretion of the sports governing bodies.

Anush met the Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) four times to secure a quota for India. He and his horse, Sir Caramello Old, were placed in Group E for the qualifiers, where they finished ninth out of ten competitors.