Despite a sparkling Asian Games 2018 campaign, the Equestrian Federation of India has been in the news for mostly the wrong reasons. Apart from the selection-related controversies that have plagued it continuously, the EFI is also facing an inner revolt of sorts with scores of senior members and former riders questioning both how the federation is run and the manner with which its decisions are taken.
It has also fell foul of the Union Sports Ministry for being in violation of the National Sports Code. The EFI has until August 8, as per the Sports Ministry, to comply with the Sports Code criterion in order to get its annual renewal of recognition from the ministry. The Indian Olympic Association too has asked it to put its house in order.
As of now though, the EFI is far from bringing about changes that are at the core of the problems. The most important changes in its constitution relate to voting rights to clubs and army units as opposed to state associations. In a letter to the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju, dated June 24, 2019, the EFI described itself as a "registered body with the Registrar of Societies...being managed by the Indian Army in association with civilian equestrian stakeholders."
The EFI had requested the Ministry to treat it as an exception. In previous correspondences by Sports Ministry officials related to its non-compliance, the EFI had been asked to form state associations with voting rights as per the NSDC criterion. In the June 24 letter to the Minister, EFI Secretary Col. RK Swain said, “Although EFI has been making all-out efforts to comply with NSDCI, the peculiar nature of the club based sport has not enabled EFI to form the minimum required 24 state associations, with 50 per cent of district associations under them due to non-availability of the equine athlete (Horse) and human athlete (Rider) in each district." The EFI believes that riding clubs, not state associations, are the major contributors to the sport, as the latter are mostly defunct and do not even hold any competitions.
Concerned members of the EFI say that EFI has never held any meetings with any state association in the past. And why should a dog unit, mule unit or any such unit of the Army get voting rights in the federation!
However, the request for exemption was turned down. According to Col. Rahman, Joint Secretary of the EFI, "We are in the process of complying with the National Sports Code. It’s not a simple process. It involves statutes in its constitution which need to be changed and that can only be done by the General Body." When asked by when it will be in a position to comply, Col. Rahman did not share the deadline. However it appears that the EFI is in the process of seeking an extension.
Recently, individual members of the federation raised questions in writing over the manner in which the federation is being run. These include senior riders and national champions like Nitin Gupta, Sandeep Dewan, Kapil Modi, Rajesh Pattu, and Kirat Nagra, to name a few. Recently, a former Secretary-General of EFI, Brigadier (retd) Gyan Puri, in his letter to the EFI President, tendered his resignation as Vice President (Technical), EFI. He raised the issue of "marginalisation of appointments in EFI and marginalisation of the Executive Council” — wherein he alleged only select officials were taking decisions related to the sport in the country. He also raised concerns over the manner in which the selections for Asian Games were handled and questioned the attitude of EFI officials towards athletes. His resignation, in particular, is what has upset many riders.
Col. Rahman said that the EC has accepted Brig. Puri's resignation and reiterated that if "riders were unhappy they can take their grievances to the EFI's Athletes' Commission. If they further feel aggrieved, athletes can raise the matter with the Executive Council." But these athletes and officials who have raised issues related to governance say that a select few senior officials of the EFI allegedly ride roughshod over the process.
Interestingly, other NSFs where the services have a major role — like the Rowing Federation and Yachting Association — have also come under the scanner for maladministration and non-compliance with the Sports Code. The Rowing Federation has, however, fallen in line after being on the verge of being de-recognised and the Army now has only one vote via the Services Sports Control Board. The Yachting Federation, which is predominantly managed by the Navy, has also seen bitter battles between the officials of the Navy running the show and civilian yachters, with the latter red-flagging selections and coaches' appointments.
