Brijinder Singh-led IGU Is Sole Recognised Golf Body in India

By Deepak Arora

NEW DELHI, Jan 19: The Indian Golf Union (IGU), led by Brijinder Singh, has reaffirmed its position as the only recognised National Sports Federation (NSF) for golf in India, putting to rest ongoing confusion caused by rival factions within the sport.

The IGU stated that it continues to hold official recognition from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, making it the sole authority responsible for governing golf in the country.

The federation also enjoys backing from key international organisations, including the International Golf Federation and The R&A, reinforcing its global legitimacy.

The clarification comes amid continued disputes involving a rival faction reportedly supported by the Indian Olympic Association. However, the IGU emphasised that such groups lack both government recognition and international endorsement.

In a significant legal development, the Delhi High Court has upheld the Brijinder Singh-led IGU as the official governing body for golf in India.

The ruling has strengthened the federation’s authority, ensuring that its decisions remain legally binding.

“The IGU is the only body authorised to regulate, promote and represent golf in India,” officials said, adding that any parallel attempts to conduct selections or represent the country internationally would be considered invalid.

Under Singh’s leadership, the IGU has remained active in promoting the sport. Over the past year, it has organised dozens of domestic tournaments, conducted feeder tours, and facilitated India’s participation in multiple international competitions, including the Olympics and other major events.

The federation also reiterated that it alone holds the authority to select Indian teams for global competitions such as the Asian Games and the Olympics, warning that unauthorised interference could harm the sport’s integrity.

The continued backing from international golf bodies and the Indian government is expected to bring stability to the administration of golf in the country, which has faced internal conflicts in recent years.

With legal, national, and international recognition firmly in place, the Brijinder Singh-led IGU remains the central pillar of golf governance in India.

T20 World Cup 2026: Scotland to replace Bangladesh, confirms ICC

DUBAI, Jan 24: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially informed the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) that it has been replaced by Scotland in the upcoming T20 World Cup after they refused to travel to India, citing security concerns following the ouster of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL.

It is learnt that senior ICC officials, including chairman Jay Shah, were in Dubai on Friday and an email was sent late in the evening to BCB chairman Aminul Islam Bulbul, conveying the global body's decision.

"An e-mail was sent last evening to Bangladesh Cricket Board chairman intimating him that his board didn't get back to ICC officially after the 24 hour deadline that was given to them to decide if they wanted to come to India, so a decision has been taken," an ICC source said on conditions of anonymity.

"The BCB did a press conference in Dhaka before officially intimating the global body which is a violation of protocol. They have been categorically told that they are being replaced," the source added.

Bangladesh's Sports Ministry advisor Asif Nazrul advised against travelling to India, citing security issues despite being given repeated assurances by the ICC.

While Cricket Scotland has maintained that they haven't received any official confirmation but it seems that it is only a matter of time that they will be intimated.

Scotland will thus play their four group league games against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) in Kolkata followed by a game against Nepal in Mumbai on February 17.

Bangladesh Not To Travel To India For T20 World Cup

DHAKA, Jan 22: “We will continue to communicate with the ICC. We want to play the World Cup, but we won't play in India. We will keep fighting. There were some shocking calls in the ICC Board Meeting. The Mustafizur issue is not an isolated single issue. They (India) were the sole decision makers in that issue,” Bangladesh Cricket Board President Aminul Islam Bulbul said.

He further added, “ICC had denied us our request to shift our matches away from India. We are not sure about the status of world cricket. Its popularity is going down. They have locked away 200 million people. Cricket is going to the Olympics, but if a country like us is not going there, it is ICC's failure.”

A meeting was held between the Bangladesh Cricket Board, the cricketers and the interim government's sports advisor in Dhaka and a decision was then conveyed to the media.

ICC earlier confirmed that they won't make any last-minute changes to the T20 World Cup schedule. In a board meeting, it was reportedly decided that if they remain adamant in their stance, a replacement team will be named for the T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka this time.