Published Sep 06, 2026 | 5:05 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 06, 2026 | 5:05 PM
The Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association has now alleged that the recruitment irregularities largely occurred through the SAAP system. (iStock)
Synopsis: More details of the irregularities in recruitment to government jobs under the sports quota are gradually emerging, and the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh is at its centre. Incidentally, red flags were repeatedly raised about candidates securing jobs with fake sports certificates. Still, neither successive governments nor the Sports Authority took serious note, leading to a possible Bihar-like situation—where more than 3,000 teachers are facing the axe for submitting fake certificates—in Andhra Pradesh.
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) has come under the spotlight for the wrong reasons following allegations of irregularities in recruitment to government jobs under the sports quota.
The Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association has now alleged that the recruitment irregularities largely occurred through the SAAP system.
It has come to light that the alleged irregularities were not new. The irregularities reportedly began with the filling of medical seats under the sports quota following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
Despite allegations that SAAP officials and sports associations colluded to facilitate irregularities, successive governments allegedly failed to act, allowing many ineligible candidates to secure government jobs through the DSC.
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After the bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh, SAAP’s activities continued from Hyderabad until 2015-16. Subsequently, SAAP was shifted to Vijayawada to manage sports activities in the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh.
With the shift, Vijayawada-based sports associations gradually gained control over SAAP. Political interests, too, seeped in, with battles waged for control of SAAP and the Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association.
Irregularities were first reported in the allocation of medical seats under the sports quota. Candidates then allegedly secured medical seats by producing certificates falsely claiming medals in sports such as roller-skating, ball badminton, fencing, judo and softball.
Allegations also suggested that fake certificates were sold for large sums. Committee members reportedly detected fake certificates issued in judo and badminton events.
The alleged fraud was brought to the sports body’s attention. The Olympic Association lodged a complaint with the then SAAP Managing Director N Bangarraju, saying students had secured MBBS seats using fake sports certificates. There were also allegations that an official who was then serving as a SAAP Assistant Director assisted sports associations in the alleged fake-certificate racket.
The complaint had a minor effect. Applications under the Right to Information Act sought information from the national federation regarding the authenticity of certificates submitted by students. Consequently, two students who allegedly secured MBBS seats using fake certificates were barred from appearing for their MBBS examinations.
However, the Olympic Association alleged that SAAP officials were covering up the larger fake-certificate issue.
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The alleged fake-certificate racket extended its tentacles beyond medical seats. It subsequently spread to government job recruitments.
In the 2019 recruitment to Village/Ward Secretariats and later to the Animal Husbandry Department, ineligible candidates allegedly secured jobs.
A vigilance inquiry was also conducted into the matter. The Olympic Association complained to then SAAP Managing Director Girisha PS that around 70 ineligible candidates had been appointed in the Animal Husbandry Department. Girisha subsequently directed officials to submit all records relating to the candidates.
The vigilance probe, however, lacked pace. A SAAP Assistant Director, who was on leave, allegedly altered the records soon after rejoining. Although the investigation crawled forward following the Director-General of Police’s directions, the candidates who had allegedly submitted fake certificates had already joined government service.
It has been alleged that if the police had completed the investigation in time, the fake-certificate racket that sold certificates for cash to candidates in Village/Ward Secretariats and the Animal Husbandry Department could have been busted. The reluctance of the Tirupati Vigilance officials to cooperate with the investigation allegedly enabled candidates with fake certificates to secure government jobs.
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Sports associations allegedly issued certificates to some MBBS aspirants, claiming that they had won gold medals. However, information gathered from the respective national federations reportedly established that some of those certificates were fake.
Interestingly, sports associations exploited a lacuna in the system. National federations of each sport must periodically update information on gold medal winners. However, the federations need not update details of silver and bronze medallists.
Utilising this loophole, sports associations allegedly sold certificates for silver and bronze medals, even to those with no sporting experience.
There were reportedly no gold medalists in certain sports among those who secured jobs under the sports quota during the mega DSC 2025. In judo, only two of those who obtained jobs are reportedly gold medallists.
Details of every gold medalist are maintained in the records of the respective national federations in Delhi. To avoid such records being cross-checked, participation certificates were allegedly issued instead.
A Public Interest Litigation has also been filed in the High Court regarding the alleged fake sports certificates.
Preliminary information pointed to the number of candidates who landed jobs using fake certificates: 12 in the Animal Husbandry Department, 30 in the DSC and 15 in Village/Ward Secretariats.
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Sports associations allegedly issuing fake sports certificates was not the only issue: SAAP’s verification — or the lack of it — fuelled the irregularities.
It has been alleged that the system operated through arrangements allegedly made between candidates and officials. SAAP officials allegedly colluded with sports associations to issue certificates confirming the participation of candidates who won medals in sporting events.
The Olympic Association claimed it had repeatedly complained to successive governments for nearly a decade about these irregularities, but no government took the issue seriously.
Although there were directions to involve the Olympic Association in verifying sports certificates, SAAP allegedly failed to implement them.
The Olympic Association also suggested that candidates submitting sports certificates should be subjected to proficiency tests in the respective sports. SAAP allegedly ignored this recommendation as well.
All these aspects point to systemic, planned acts rather than isolated instances of malpractice.
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The educational qualifications of four candidates who allegedly submitted fake sports certificates have also come under suspicion.
The Olympic Association complained to the Education Department regarding candidates who allegedly secured jobs by submitting degrees obtained from universities in other states or from universities without UGC recognition.
The Education Department reportedly responded with a lackadaisical approach. It said the candidates’ degree documents would be available with the Deputy Director.
Whenever the government makes appointments, candidates’ criminal antecedents and educational qualifications must be verified. However, the Olympic Association alleged that such verification was not properly carried out in the DSC recruitment process.
Instead, merit lists were announced, and appointments were made.
The failure to properly verify certificates is now one of the principal reasons behind the irregularities.
Even as a probe has been initiated into the DSC recruitment controversy, more skeletons are tumbling out of sports associations’ closets.
At least four associations reportedly influenced SAAP to facilitate irregularities.
Several allegations have surfaced against associations governing judo, athletics, ball badminton and softball.
In the DSC recruitment, 21 candidates from athletics reportedly secured jobs under the sports quota. Of these, objections have been raised against eight certificates issued by the Andhra Athletic Association.
A 39-year-old woman who secured a DSC job claimed she won a championship in the steeplechase event at age 36.
Sportspeople point out that such competitions were not conducted in Andhra Pradesh after the state’s bifurcation. The certificate reportedly stated that a 3,000-metre competition was conducted at Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur.
Athletes questioned how a 36-year-old candidate could win an obstacle race like the steeplechase.
Another woman allegedly claimed to have won a javelin championship at the age of 41. There were reportedly no records of her achievements during her school or college years. The Olympic Association alleged that SAAP provide a satisfactory explanation for her “achievement”.
The woman’s daughter is reportedly pursuing MBBS under the sports quota. Her husband is a Physical Education Teacher, while her brother-in-law reportedly holds a senior position in SAAP.
Candidates who obtained jobs based on certificates showing medals in ball badminton and softball allegedly claimed that they had participated in national-level events at the age of 13. Critics questioned how such participation was possible and why nobody verified the claims before appointments were made.
In the 2025 DSC recruitment, 48 ball badminton players reportedly secured jobs under the sports quota. According to allegations, not a single badminton coach has been appointed in Andhra Pradesh.
For several years, candidates have allegedly submitted certificates claiming national-level participation in ball badminton, after which SAAP has issued Form-2 certificates.
Questions have been raised about whether SAAP ever verified who actually played the sport and the candidates’ claimed sporting credentials.
Even demands for proficiency tests of candidates were allegedly ignored.
Over the past decade, similar allegations have surfaced in several government recruitments. Nobody questioned why candidates who claimed to have competed in ball badminton and softball at various levels subsequently stopped participating in those sports.
Normally, a candidate’s sporting record should be consistent—from school-level competitions and college-level events to district, state, and national-level participation.
However, the allegations suggest that SAAP has been granting clearances even in the absence of such records, or that the records do not match when they do exist.
SAAP is expected to maintain records of sporting events conducted with its grants, and the names of participating athletes.
However, SAAP has allegedly failed to release the list of people who submitted participation certificates and subsequently secured government jobs from 2018 onwards.
If these lists were made public, the alleged fake-certificate racket could potentially be exposed.
When RTI applicants sought details of sporting events conducted in 2024, SAAP reportedly claimed that the details were unavailable. However, inconsistencies surfaced when officials were asked whether SAAP provided grants to sports associations without maintaining records of the corresponding events.
The names of athletes shown as having participated in the events reportedly did not match the names of candidates who subsequently secured government jobs.
South First has contacted SAAP’s incumbent Managing Director, S Bharani, for an explanation of the allegations and irregularities reported within the organisation. This report will be updated if and when a response is received.
Olympic Association president RK Purushottam said his organisation has been legally fighting against irregularities in the sports quota since 2015. He denied any political involvement in the issue.
He opined that if stringent action had been taken against the alleged irregularities about MBBS seats, further frauds would not have occurred.
“We are also pursuing legal action over the Village/Ward Secretariat recruitments and the Animal Husbandry Department appointments,” he said.
Purushottam further stated that sports must be free of political interference. The names of public representatives appointed as honorary presidents of sports associations were being misused.
He warned that if the government did not address the issue, Andhra Pradesh will soon witness an incident like in Bihar, where around 3,000 teachers were found to have submitted fraudulent certificates.
“We will continue our legal battle until a CBI investigation is ordered. Even if my life is under threat, I will continue the fight until justice is delivered to sportspersons,” Purushottam added.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
