The sports ministry has decreed that neither India Taekwondo (IT) nor Taekwondo Federation of India (TFI) fulfil the criteria to get recognition as a national sports federation. The ministry took this decision after it was asked by the Delhi High Court to decide on the claims by both the bodies as the rightful custodian for the sport of taekwondo in the country.The court had asked both the bodies to make representation before the ministry and gave six weeks for the officials to decide which one could be recognised. “… It has been observed that, as on date, both the parties viz, Taekwondo Federation of India and India Taekwondo do not fully meet the conditions prescribed in the guidelines for recognition of NSFs as contained in the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. AS such, at present, neither the above said two federations qualifies for government recognition,” under-secretary Joginder Singh said in the order on Friday.“Now, therefore, in compliance of the directions of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi dated 06.01.2026, it has been decided that, as neither Taekwondo Federation of India nor India Taekwondo fully meet the criteria prescribed in the sports code for grant of recognition as National Sports Federation, requests of Taekwondo Federation of India (TFI) and India Taekwondo (IT) for grant of recognition as NSF for the sports of taekwondo cannot be acceded to this juncture by the ministry,” the order added.Interestingly, recently the ministry had taken a different stance in the matter of karate and handball, two sports where multiple bodies claimed to be the rightful governing bodies. It had fuelled confusion amongst sportspersons and had seen a number of litigations that has stalled the sport of karate in the country.In these cases the ministry had asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to constitute ad-hoc committees to run the sports.