The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Chandigarh administration to take steps to enforce the guidelines of the National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS).

The NCAAFS guidelines were sent by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in March 2010, directing all governments and Union Territories as well as their sports authorities to take appropriate measures for the adoption and implementation of the code, whatever the nature of the current tournament. organized.

As per the code, a TW3 method is adopted for age determination. However, sporting events in Chandigarh are not following the guidelines. The TW3 method uses x-rays of the left hand and wrist to examine a person’s skeletal maturity to determine their bone age.

The issue was taken to court by a Panchkula-based player, seeking directions for the UT to adopt the TW3 method for determining age in the Administrator’s Challenge Cup All-India football tournament, which is currently ongoing, as mandated by the central government.

The court did not make this event binding, as it was informed that testing facilities were not immediately available.

However, the court ordered UT to ensure that the NCAAFS guidelines are properly implemented in the future hosting of any tournaments recognized by national sports federations.

He noted that the scope of the code had been extended to all recognized national sports federations, the Sports Authority of India through various sports promotion programs of the SAI, the sports control board managed by Government Ministries, to Public Sector Undertakings, State Governments, Union Territories and their sports. authorities.

UT’s attorney had argued that the tournament in question was an invitational tournament and as such the mandate was not enforceable. However, the court observed that the UT lawyer could not refer to such classification in the organization of the competitive or invitational tournament as per the national sports code.

“This court also took note of the fact that although the tournament is not organized by the National Sports Federation… it is recognized by the federation and would therefore have an impact on the overall ranking and performance of the participating sportspersons. “, he said, asking the UT to ensure proper implementation of the code.