The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has constituted a four-member ad-hoc committee to manage the affairs of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), acting on the directions of the Delhi High Court, which has called for the restoration of democratic governance in sports.
The ad-hoc panel will be headed by Yashodhara Raje Scindia as Chairperson, with members including Francisco Lima, Director (Administration), Fdration Equestre Internationale (FEI), Advocate Vidushpat Singhania and Col Ashok Yadav, according to the IOA order dated 27
Read the full article
The IOA said the committee was established with immediate effect to “administer and manage the EFI” and begin a reform process leading to the conduct of independent elections and the installation of a duly elected executive body.
The development follows the February 18 judgment of the Delhi High Court, in which it ordered the IOA to form an ad-hoc committee, saying that the term of the EFI Executive Committee had expired in September 2023 and it had no electoral mandate to continue.
The EFI elections have since remained pending, necessitating judicial intervention.
The court had previously allowed the reinstatement of the former executive committee as a temporary measure in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics to ensure continuity of athletes’ participation, while stressing that a permanent solution must follow.
According to the IOA order, the ad-hoc committee will function as a supervisory and transitional body with full administrative, financial and regulatory control, including the management of EFI accounts, conduct of tenders and supervision of tender processes.
It was also tasked to align the EFI constitution with the National Sports Governance Act 2025 and Rules 2026, restructure the membership framework and hold free and fair elections.
The panel is required to finalize the constitution and bylaws within two months and announce the election within 30 days thereafter.
The IOA clarified that the ad-hoc committee will remain in place only until the newly elected executive committee takes over, after which it will be dissolved.
Some decisions of the EFI EC have come under scrutiny recently, such as the appointment of rape accused Tarsem Singh Warraich, an individual on bail in a sexual harassment case, as the head coach of the Indian team to pitch the tent for January’s World Cup qualifiers in Jordan.
– The end
Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
01 April 2026 19:53 IST
