New Delhi, 02 July (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has set aside the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports' order declaring taekwondo athlete Kashish Malik ineligible for the upcoming Asian Games. The Bench headed by Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma directed the competent authority to consider Malik for representing India at the Asian Games.

The Court held that an athlete cannot be declared ineligible merely because the weight category in which the athlete had qualified was subsequently merged with another weight category.

During the hearing, counsel for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Shashank Dixit and Kunal Dixit, argued that the 53 kg weight category no longer existed and that Kashish Malik had not won any medal in the 57 kg category. The Court rejected the submission, describing the argument as untenable.

The Court observed that when the rules do not permit an athlete to compete in two different weight categories, the Ministry cannot penalise the athlete for not qualifying in the other category. It directed the Ministry to consider Kashish Malik for participation in the Asian Taekwondo Championships.

Kashish Malik had won a bronze medal in the 53 kg category at the 2026 Asian Taekwondo Championships.

Senior advocates Saurabh Jain and Pragya Jain appeared on behalf of Kashish Malik before the Delhi High Court.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar