A group of ambitious school students, supported by their parents, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an immediate halt to all outdoor sports trials and tournaments scheduled in the capital between November and January.This period is notorious for the alarming spike in Delhi’s air pollution levels. The students, including footballers Nysa Bedi, Shirin Sultana Shaw, and Zoya Trehan Sahni, and long-distance runner Lukshya Arora, argue that forcing them to undertake strenuous physical activity in what is often ‘severe’ or ‘hazardous’ air infringes upon their fundamental right to life and health.The petitioners, many of whom harbour national and Olympic dreams, explained in an interview with CNBC-TV18 that the collective decision to seek judicial intervention arose from the physical toll the smog takes on them. Shirin Sultana Shaw recounted a recent experience, stating, “We played matches with AQI levels around 500, and the effect was that all of us here today have really bad coughs. It’s not only difficult to play; it’s not only hazardous for our health, but it also affects our performance.” The student went on to confirm that they often suffer from coughing and wheezing after such trials.
Nysa Bedi echoed the frustration over the predictable nature of the crisis. She pointed out that air pollution has been a major concern in the capital for over a decade, yet sporting authorities continue to schedule critical events during the worst period. “We are forced to play because the timing is such that we’re forced to play in horrible pollution,” Bedi stated, adding that playing while their “lungs are growing” risks “irreversible damage.” The students are not asking for cancellations, but rather a simple recalibration of the sporting calendar to host tournaments when the air quality is less toxic.The petition highlights a critical planning discrepancy. Zoya Trehan Sahni explained that while their own school has a rule barring outdoor play when the AQI exceeds 200, this common-sense measure is not mirrored by the external bodies running national-level events. Furthermore, missing these high-stakes tournaments is not an option for career-minded young athletes. Sahni noted, “If you don’t play in the tournaments, then you’re not going to be able to advance to the next stage, so you’re essentially wasting a full year of playing at different, greater levels of that sport.”The decision to move the High Court was a strategic one. According to Sahni, the petition names both the government and the SDFI as respondents. She reasoned that when there are “two different authorities in charge of something, it’s much easier to get them to collaborate and to correspond and to actually change the rules if you get them in one place in the court.” The students believe the court is the best forum to compel the administration to act on a known and predictable public health crisis that risks the future of young talent. For the record, Delhi’s air quality remains in the severe category today, despite the implementation of third- stage pollution curbing measures.Watch accompanying video for entire discussion.
