Bengaluru , 01 September (H.S.): The High Court of Karnataka has ordered a high-level inquiry into alleged violations of selection rules by the Surfing Federation of India (SFI) while choosing the men’s surfing contingent for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj appointed former Supreme Court judge R.V. Raveendran as a one-member commission to investigate why the federation’s Special Selection Committee and Executive Council departed from the prescribed norms. The court, however, declined to interfere with the final squad, observing that a fresh selection process at this late stage could jeopardise India’s participation in the Games, scheduled from September 19 to October 4.

The order came on a petition filed by Kerala surfer Ramesh Budihal, a bronze medallist at the 2025 Asian Surfing Championship. He challenged his placement as the first reserve while Tamil Nadu surfer Sivaraj Babu was selected as the second confirmed athlete in the main contingent.

The court found serious deviations in the fresh selection exercise conducted after an Appeals Panel had faulted the composition of the original selection committee. It said the circumstances behind Budihal’s exclusion from the confirmed squad required examination.

The commission has been asked to scrutinise 45 issues arising from the federation’s selection norms and identify the reasons for the deviations. It may also recommend changes to the selection framework, federation bylaws and mechanisms for resolving deadlocks and disputes.

The court clarified that neither it nor the commission would assess the comparative sporting ability of the surfers. The inquiry would remain confined to whether the prescribed rules were followed.

The dispute began when Budihal and the Surfing Federation of Kerala challenged the initial selection. On June 16, 2026, the Appeals Panel set it aside and directed the SFI to constitute a committee in accordance with its norms and consider athletes’ performances from January 1, 2025.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman