How India’s badminton youngsters cheated their age
The Central Bureau of Investigation has said four junior shuttlers allegedly altered their age records in order to compete in tournaments.
In its confidential preliminary report, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has said that four junior shuttlers allegedly altered their age records to compete in tournaments.
The report of the agency’s sports integrity unit, which is in HT’s possession, to the Badminton Association of India (BAI) states that the manipulation in birth certificates was consciously done by the parents of Chirag Sen (BAI ID No 2304), Laa Talar (BAI ID No 2681), Akash Yadav (BAI ID No 5333) and C Rahul Yadav (BAI ID No 1461).
“The manipulation has been done under false declaration by misusing the provisions of Section 13 of The Registration of Birth and Deaths Act, 1969 to make eligible their child to play in lower age groups and make better performance compared to their peers and a result got sponsorship/grants, etc from respective state govts/central govt/PSUs and other institutions and consequential benefits,” the report stated.
Despite concluding that the parents had allegedly manipulated the date of birth using fake affidavits, the unit has only recommended suitable action against them without giving any substantial reason for registering cheating cases.
“Appropriate action may kindly be taken against the four players, and act ion taken in the matter may be intimated to CBI in due course.”
Chirag Sen’s date of birth with BAI is July 22, 1998, but the birth certificate issued by the registrar, local area, birth and death, nagar palika, Almora, is March 11, 2005, on the basis of affidavit submitted by Sen’s father Dhirendra.
According to the report, Laa Talar’s date of birth was November 15, 1998, in BAI records in 2007, but 2008 onwards he claimed his date of birth as April 5, 1997.
In Akash Yadav’s case, his birth with BAI is August 1, 2001, but the certificate submitted by him mentions August 5, 2001, and was issued by the village panchayat office, Haibatpur, Gautam Budh Nagar.
C Rahul Yadav’s date of birth with BAI is May 3, 1998, but Yadav submitted a birth certificate mentioning May 12, 2006 as his actual age. His parents mentioned his date of birth at St Paul’s High School, Hyderabad as February 3, 1997.
BAI too has initiated action against the four players. “We have informed the CBI’s sports integrity unit that we are in the process of taking suitable action against these four players, and will let them know about the action in due course,” BAI secretary-general Vijai Sinha told HT on Friday.