No ineligible player sent for exchange programme in Japan: BAI chief President Akhilesh Das Gupta

New Delhi: Badminton Association of India (BAI) President Akhilesh Das Gupta has said that no ineligible player was sent to Japan for an exchange programme in 2014 as alleged by the CBI.

CBI sources had said yesterday that the agency had received inputs about alleged favouritism by office bearers of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) and the Delhi Capital Badminton Association (DCBA) in sending players to Tokyo in 2014 for the Youth Sports Exchange Programme.

Das told PTI that "No players were sent by the BAI. The players were sent by the Delhi Capital Badminton Association".

The organisers, he said, had specifically asked for players who were not champions and were good in other fields such as debate, singing etc.

The former Rajya Sabha member said his daughter, who was part of the contingent, had won a bronze in the National School Level championship and was eligible for the programme.

Das said a detailed response has been sent to the government.

CBI sources had said that a contingent of 23 players and two supervisors was sent by India on the expense of government of Japan to participate in the exchange programme for the youth of ASEAN countries.

The programme was aimed at promoting Japanese culture and values among the youth of ASEAN countries including India.

It was alleged that office bearers of BAI including its President and its Delhi unit shortlisted their wards and close relatives as participants without conducting any trials and publicising the selection process, the sources had said.

The preliminary enquiry found that the maximum number of players sent to Japan were ineligible as they had not played in regional or state level at the time of selections.

During the probe, it emerged that among the 23 players sent seven were wards of President of BAI and office bearers of DCBA, the then General Secretary Jitendra Kochar, the then Vice President Harish Ahuja, the then Secretary Apinder Sabharwal and the then Treasurer Kamal Thapar among others.

CBI has sent a report to the ministry concerned recommending action against some officials of DCBA, the sources had said.