Sonika wins right to trials
New Delhi, June. 7 (PTI): In a reprieve for woman grappler Sonika Kaliraman, a court today quashed the decision of Wrestling Federation of India keeping her out of the upcoming Commonwealth Championships in Canada and directed it to reorganise a trial for her selection.
"The defendants (Federation and IOA) are directed to reorganise trial for selection after watching the performance of the wrestlers namely Meenakshi Devi, who is already selected by them, and Sonika," Additional District Judge Yashwant Kumar said.
The judge has asked the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), entrusted with selection of grapplers for the championship, to complete the trial procedure by June 10 as the team is scheduled to leave the shores on June 13.
Noting that Sonika would suffer irreparable loss if she was not given an opportunity to appear in a trial, the court observed that in the light of the given facts, she had successfully made out a case in her favour.
The judge also lashed out at chief coach S R Ranga for advising Sonika to consult a lady doctor from SAI on May 24, and on the same day requesting the President of the federation to take disciplinary action against her.
"If any disciplinary action was required to be initiated, they should have at least issued a letter or a notice to Sonika, which they failed to do, for the reasons best known to them," the judge stated.
Taking exception to the content of the letter written by Ranga to the authorities that she had left the camp on her free will, the court noted that the coach himself had endorsed her sick leave application.
Sport