Noida: Days after the Gautam Budh Nagar Under-19 boys’ basketball team missed their state championship due to an election dispute between district and state associations, the girls’ team has now suffered the same fate.The girls’ championship began in Prayagraj on Friday. Gautam Budh Nagar Basketball Association (GBNBA) approached Supreme Court seeking interim relief from conditions imposed by Uttar Pradesh Basketball Association (UPBA), but the matter has been scheduled for hearing on Monday.Separately, a young athlete, 16-year-old Chandni Singh — a former national-level player and member of the girls’ team — filed an intervention plea seeking her right to participate. Her petition has now been clubbed with GBNBA’s case and will also be heard on Monday.By then, however, the tournament will be over.“During Friday’s hearing, the court took note of the alleged denial of an opportunity to participate and directed issuance of notices to all concerned parties, including UPBA, Basketball Federation of India, and the Uttar Pradesh govt. The matter has been posted for further hearing on Monday,” said advocate-on-record Ishita Farsaiya, who filed the plea on behalf of GBNBA on April 9.Earlier, UPBA barred the 12-member U-19 boys’ team from participating in the championship held in Pratapgarh from April 5 to 8, citing that GBNBA’s recent elections were “not conducted as per procedure”.The dispute has left young athletes in limbo — some of whom will age out of the category before the next tournament.GBNBA elections were held on March 24, with incumbent president Rahim Bawa re-elected and Sakshi Chand replacing Vikram Duggal as general secretary. The new body informed UPBA on March 26 and submitted team entries for the boys’ championship on March 29, followed by a reminder on April 2 after receiving no response.UPBA later said eligibility forms must carry signatures of both Bawa and Duggal, citing procedural lapses in the elections. As this condition was not met, the Gautam Budh Nagar team was deemed ineligible.Following the boys’ exclusion, GBNBA first moved the Allahabad High Court on April 6, but the petition was not admitted. The association then approached Supreme Court on April 9, seeking urgent relief to allow its players to compete. The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India and listed for hearing on Friday. Senior advocate Jayant Bhushan appeared before a bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.Like the boys’ team, several members of the girls’ squad are in their final year of eligibility, making the tournament crucial for securing opportunities under the sports quota in higher education, particularly in Delhi University.“This was my last year in the U-19 category, and I now have to apply for college admissions. Without participation this year, my chances of securing admission through the sports quota will be severely affected,” said Yashwashni Yadav, a resident of NTPC township in Dadri and a member of the team.UPBA general secretary Dileep Singh maintained that the boys’ team was barred due to procedural lapses. “GBNBA was informed that eligibility forms required signatures from both Duggal and Bawa. The team would be considered only if there was consensus between the two,” he said.Despite this, the district association sent the team to Pratapgarh, nearly 700 km away, but they were not allowed to compete and returned disappointed.On the alleged violations, Singh added, “They requested an observer and declared an election date, which is not the procedure. They should have consulted us first, after which we would have set a date and sent an observer. The elections, as conducted, are not recognised by UPBA.”Bawa said the elections were held with due procedure. He added that Duggal was also approached multiple times for signatures to safeguard the players’ interests, but he didn’t respond. “We sent the team without the signatures, hoping UPBA would relax the condition in the players’ interest,” he said.Chand said she did not sign as UPBA specifically sought Duggal’s signature.Duggal, meanwhile, told TOI he could not sign as he was no longer general secretary. “Why should I sign when I am no more the general secretary of the body?,” he said. He further alleged that GBNBA elections were “held unfairly”, adding that he had raised the issue with the deputy registrar of societies and UPBA.However, officials of GBNBA maintained that the elections were held fairly.GBNBA said it will continue its legal fight. “We welcome the SC decision to hear the case and are optimistic that the players’ rights will be upheld,” said Chand.
