Former international gymnasts, including multiple-time national champion Rakesh Patra, have urged the Sports Ministry to order an independent inquiry into alleged procedural irregularities in the Gymnastics Federation of India’s preparation of the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) roster.
In separate letters to Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao on July 30, Patra and another former international gymnast made similar allegations that the federation’s actions violated provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 and the rules framed under it.
“I respectfully request the Ministry to order an independent inquiry into the process adopted by the Gymnastics Federation of India for preparation of the Roster of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit,” Patra, a multiple-time national champion who represented India at five World Championships besides the Commonwealth and Asian Games, appealed in the letter in possession of PTI.
“Call for all records, including notifications, applications received, scrutiny reports, minutes of meetings, evaluation criteria and all documents relating to the preparation of the roster.
“Examine whether the process adopted by GFI is in conformity with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 and the Rules made thereunder. Take appropriate disciplinary actions against the GFI if the process is found to be unfair and illegal,” he added.
Patra also requested the Ministry to “direct the Gymnastics Federation of India to publish all governing regulations, eligibility criteria and evaluation methodology in advance.”
Another former international gymnast, who requested anonymity, also submitted a similar complaint to the Ministry, bringing to its notice “irregularities and unfair practices with respect to Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) in violation of the National Sports Governance Act.”
One of the allegations related to what the complainants described as the backdating of notifications and an arbitrary extension of the application deadline.
“The President, GFI issued a first notification dated 30th April 2026 seeking candidature within 60 days i.e. by 29th June 2026,” the former gymnasts wrote.
“However just a few days before the original deadline the contents of that notification were changed with the deadline updated to 2nd July 2026 without any other changes to the letter including its date and reference number.
“This appears to be a classic case of backdating of official notifications seriously compromising the integrity of the process.”
When PTI contacted GFI, president Sudhir Mital said: “Because names had not come by that time and it says at least minimum 40 — 20 men, 20 women, so had extended it.”
However, an email sent by GFI to its affiliated state associations on June 30 stated: “We are delighted to receive an overwhelming response to the applications. given the encouraging interest, we have decided to extend the application deadline until 2 July 2026, 10:00Pm (22:00 hrs), allowing more applicants the opportunity to register.”
Another point raised by the complaints was “Ineligible sportspersons included in the Roaster.”
According to the complaints, two athletes — Ashish Kumar and Aditya Rana — were included in the published SOM roster despite being ineligible under the National Sports Governance Rules, 2026.
The complaints said that both the gymnasts had competed in the Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships held in Bhubaneswar earlier this year, whereas the rules require applicants to have retired from competitive sport for at least one year before applying.
Documents of the Senior Artistic Gymnastics National Championships show that Railways’ Aditya Rana and Uttar Pradesh’s Ashish Kumar featured in the competition held in Bhubaneswar from April 25 to May 3 this year.
“We have asked him because he (Ashish) said that he didn’t play. So, we asked him to give us a response and explain. So, we are waiting for it. And if he (Ashish) has played, then he will be out of it,” GFI president Mital told PTI.
The complaints also alleged that the federation invited applications for the SOM roster without first publishing regulations or criteria governing the selection process, leaving it open to arbitrary decision-making.
The complaints also objected to GFI making recommendations from state gymnastics associations mandatory for applicants, contending that neither the Act nor the rules prescribe such a requirement and that it defeats the objective of giving distinguished athletes independent representation in the federation’s governance.
Interestingly, AIFF’s application process says “No nomination, recommendation or endorsement from any state-level association or federation affiliated to AIFF is required.”
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