Delhi High Court Sets Aside Ministry’s Order Denying Inclusion of Taekwondo Athlete in 2026 Asian Games

The Delhi High Court overturned the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ decision to reject the inclusion of taekwondo athlete Kashish Malik in India’s team for the 2026 Asian Games. The Ministry had refused clearance to Malik and fellow Taekwondo athlete Aranaya Thakur, saying they had not met the Ministry’s eligibility criteria in order to participate in the international multi-sport event.

The Ministry contended that Malik was not eligible to participate in the Asian Games, 2026, because she won a bronze medal in the -53 kg category at the Asian Taekwondo Championship, 2026. However, the -53 kg and -57 kg categories were then merged into a single category, i.e., -57 kg, and since the athlete won a bronze medal only in the -53 kg category, which was no longer a standalone category, she could not be considered automatically eligible under the Ministry’s policy contained in the circular dated 24.09.2025, despite the athlete being recommended by India Taekwondo.

The court found the submission strange and meritless since, as per the rules, a person who is eligible to participate in the -53 kg category and has already won a medal was expected to have participated in the -57 kg category as well, though a person is eligible to participate only in one category. Moreover, the athlete had to fulfil eligibility criteria to the extent of having secured 6th position or better in the Asian Championship held in the last 12 months, and she had finished third and won a bronze medal in the Asian Taekwondo Championship 2026, and therefore, was eligible to participate in the Asian Games 2026 as per the circular dated 24.09.2025. Also, no other athlete was otherwise eligible for inclusion.

The court believed it to be a logical conclusion that a player who had participated in either the -53 kg or the -57 kg category at the Asian Taekwondo Championship, 2026, would be eligible to be considered as having won a medal in the merged -57 kg category since that was the only category that existed after the 49kg category. The court therefore set aside the order and directed that the athlete’s name be considered for forwarding to the Asian Games Organising Committee.