Yoga Federation of India Questions NSF Recognition Process

The Yoga Federation of India has questioned the process for recognising a National Sports Federation, with general secretary Abhinav Joshi saying the body is not yet convinced that the process will be fully fair and transparent. Joshi said the federation could approach the court again if circumstances that prompted its earlier legal fight are repeated.

Speaking on the issue, Joshi said the federation has been involved in a legal battle for the past six years. He said YFI has no complaint against the government, but described the alleged interference of certain influential individuals as a continuing concern. The federation’s stated position is that recognition should be decided on merit and eligibility.

The matter is significant for Yogasana athletes because Joshi linked delays in the NSF recognition process to potential difficulties in holding trials for Khelo India and other national-level competitions. He said athletes were the group most affected by the uncertainty and urged them to continue participating in competitions wherever opportunities are available.

YFI plans meetings over membership and recognition

Joshi said the Yoga Federation of India will soon seek meetings with Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha and Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya. According to Joshi, YFI will ask for its membership to be restored and will press for a decision based on what it considers merit and eligibility.

He said the organisation has worked on the development of Yogasana as a sport for 51 years and claimed it has more than 700 district units across the country. Joshi said that organisational experience and its nationwide structure make YFI’s case strong if the recognition decision is made on merit.

Joshi also said YFI conducts competitions, training camps and coach and referee development programmes from district to national level. He claimed that around 2,500 trained coaches are currently associated with the organisation and provide grassroots training to athletes.

On the federation’s future plans, Joshi said that renewed recognition would bring a focus on building a transparent and fair sporting system. He added that YFI would look to expand competitions to district and village levels in an effort to create opportunities for more athletes.

The general secretary also identified strengthening India’s position in Yogasana internationally as a priority. He said the organisation had previously played an important role in organising and developing Yogasana competitions at the international level. Joshi further claimed that competition formats, technical rules and a syllabus developed by YFI years ago are now used by other organisations.

Athlete opportunities remain central to YFI’s position

Joshi said YFI’s dispute is not centred on any one organisation but on athletes’ future and rights. He said the federation had never stopped athletes from entering competitions conducted by other organisations, and appealed to them to keep competing and practising.

He also alleged that political influence had affected the formation of the National Sports Federation in the past, an issue over which YFI had approached the court. Joshi said international sporting rules do not allow political interference in national sports federations and said YFI’s demand is for a transparent system consistent with that principle.

For now, the federation’s next stated step is engagement with the IOA and the Sports Ministry. Its position remains that a recognition decision should be transparent and based on merit, while it has kept open the possibility of returning to court or continuing its campaign through democratic means if required.