The Badminton Association of India drops all charges against Jwala Gutta

Jwala Gutta of Delhi Smashers along with her team members cheers during her team’s match against Hyderabad Hotshots’ in Indian Badminton League 2013 at Babu Banarasi Das Badminton Academy on August 17, 2013 in Lucknow, India.

The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has cleared the Indian women’s doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta of all the charges accusing her of influencing her team Delhi Smashers to forfeit an Indian Badminton League (IBL) match last year.

On the standoff coming to an end, the 2010 Commonwealth Gold medallist was quoted as saying by the Times of India on Friday: “I am very happy with the decision BAI has taken. I will be playing as a part of the Indian team in future tournaments too. It will be an honour to represent the country as always.”

While the BAI had urged for a life ban or a suspension for six years from all the game related activities in India, Gutta continued to play badminton matches after being given the permission by the court to do so till the appointed three-member commission took a final decision.

However, the committee, which included Anandeshwar Pandey, joint secretary Indian Olympic Association and general secretary UP Olympic Association, Deepa Mehta, president Luge Federation of India and Swati Shukla, a social worker and former member of Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, have recommended the BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta to not take any actions as they did not find the 30-year-old guilty of the charges pressed against her, according to NDTV.

Henceforth, Jwala Gutta and her doubles partner Ashwini Ponnappa can continue to represent the nation in the upcoming tournaments.