The Sports Federation of India has reportedly called for the School Games Federation of India to be suspended following the death of 15-year-old footballer Nitisha Negi at a beach during Pacific School Games in Adelaide last year.
Negi had drowned while four other Indians had been rescued off the Glenelg beach in Adelaide in December. The group of teenagers was part of the Indian sports contingent participating in the Pacific School Games in Australia.
The School Games Federation of India is not recognised by the International School Sports Federation, the Indian sports ministry nor SAI. Double Olympic medal winning wrestler Sushil Kumar is the president of SGFI.
“Since SGFI acted outside the purview of their Memorandum of Agreement by sending the contingent for the Games without any authorisation of government of India, ministry of youth affairs and sports, their recognition may be suspended and they should be issued a show cause notice,” the Times of India quoted a report into the case as saying.
The report added, “No sports federation may be permitted to send the Indian team/contingent for international sports events without the clearance from the government and sports ministry. Requirement of NOC from the sports ministry may be made mandatory for international sports events where the Indian contingents are sent by the sports federations”.
The week-long Pacific School Games in Australia had around 4,000 participants from 15 countries across 11 sports.