The Karnataka High Court Saturday refused to quash the Surfing Federation of India (SFI)’s decision to select Ramesh Budihal as the first reserve in the men’s surfing event at the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled to begin from September 19.Justice Suraj Govindaraj, though, noted that the selection decision dated June 23 taken by the Executive Council of the SFI was vitiated by illegality. “This court places on record its disapproval of the manner in which SFI conducted the fresh selection process and makes it clear that SFI as a public institution discharging public duty is required to act strictly in accordance with law and its own selection policy and shall not allow recurrence of this infirmity.”Refusing to grant any relief to petitioner Budihal, the court said, “This court declines to issue a certiorari quashing that decision and declines to direct Indian Olympic Association to recall/change the forwarded list of players. The prayer for direction for formation of fresh selection committee, in place of impugned selection is also not granted.”On June 23, the Executive Council of Surfing Federation of India selected Sivaraj Babu to represent India. Budihal, 25, has questioned the decision, saying, “Participating in Asian Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and if denied to him, then years of hard work done by him will go in vain.”Before this final decision, the Federation had announced the initial list of selected participants on June 3, wherein, too, Budihal was not selected to represent India but was placed as reserve. Budihal had questioned the list before the Federation’s appeals panel. The panel partly allowed the appeal and directed the Surfing Federation to constitute a selection committee to objectively evaluate the competing athletes, furnish reasons for any deviation, and consider the performance of athletes from January 1, 2025, onwards.However, the special selection committee, which met on June 20 and 21 to reconsider the selection of athletes in both men’s and women’s categories, reached a deadlock on the methodology to be adopted to evaluate athletes. The committee of four members voted equally for Budihal and Babu. Since the last date for sending the selected participants list was June 26, the executive council of SFI took the impugned decision based on the past performance of athletes.Also Read | Bengaluru hacker denied bail over ED evidence of Rs 288 crore money trailAdvocate Manmohan P, appearing for Budihal, submitted that he is India’s only medal winner at that Asian Surfing Championship, and no reason was cited for not selecting him. Budihal had secured the Bronze Medal at the 2025 Asian Surfing Championship.Story continues below this adThe SFI admitted before the court that its Executive Council has no power to select surfers to represent India at the Asian Games. The federation’s counsel even suggested a surf-off be held between Babu and Budihal to select the participant to be sent to Japan. Budihal’s counsel turned down the offer and said the federation’s selection policy does not allow such an option. He said the policy demands that selection be done either on the basis of past performance or a coin toss.The counsel for the Indian Olympic Association had informed the court that names of selected participants have already been uploaded on the Olympic Council of Asia portal and cannot be changed now.After pronouncing the order, Justice Govindaraj orally said, “The games begin from September 19; we cannot do anything, nothing can be done.”Inquiry by former Supreme Court judgeTo ensure that future selections of athletes are conducted properly and in accordance with the selection policies of SFI, the court formed a one-man inquiry committee comprising former Supreme Court judge R V Raveendran.Story continues below this adThe order said, “The inquiry to be conducted in Bengaluru and the expenses are to be borne by SFI. The scope of inquiry would include the conduct of the members of the special selection committee constituted in the present case and the conduct of members of the executive council of the SFI, who took the impugned decision described as ‘executive call’, on June 23. The inquiry would include aspects about selection policies of SFI and why directions of the Appeal panel of SFI were not followed in the manner recorded.”The inquiry report will have to be submitted to the court by February 2027.