India doubles its Winter Olympics participation to 2. But it all depends on Delhi HC

For a country of 1.4 billion people, India’s winter sports ambitions have once again reached their familiar peak of two athletes .

At the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics , India was set to double its participation from the lone competitor sent to Beijing 2022 . But even this modest milestone now hangs in the balance, with the Delhi High Court putting the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ’s selection process on hold.

The court is hearing a petition that challenges the fairness and transparency of the athlete selection, with the next hearing scheduled for January 27 , just days before the Games open on February 6 .

India secured two quota places for the Winter Olympics. One was earned by alpine skier Arif Mohammad Khan , who qualified on the basis of his world ranking and was India’s sole representative at the 2022 Winter Games. The second quota was claimed in cross country skiing , for which the IOA forwarded the name of Stanzin Lundup .

That selection, however, has been challenged by cross country skier Manjeet , who has approached the court claiming he was overlooked despite being ranked higher in the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) standings. The petition also alleges procedural lapses in the functioning of the ad hoc committee managing Ski and Snowboard India .

Complicating matters further is the allegation of conflict of interest . Arif Mohammad Khan , apart from being one of the selected athletes, is also a member of the committee that cleared the nominations, a point specifically flagged in the court filings.

The Sports Ministry has added its own layer of uncertainty. In its submission before the court, the ministry said it could not independently verify how India secured the quota in cross country skiing, noting that no official confirmation was available in the public domain.

As a result, the country’s Winter Olympics participation now depends not on snow conditions in the Alps but on proceedings in a Delhi courtroom.

India may still send two athletes, revert to one, or end up sending none at all, depending on the outcome of the January 27 hearing .

For now, the nation’s Winter Olympics campaign remains consistent with tradition.

Limited snow, limited athletes and unlimited paperwork.