IOA cites Govt interference in election process as reason
In a huge embarrassment for India, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today suspended the Indian Olympic Association because of Government interference, a development which puts a bar on the country’s Olympic participation.
Associated Press, quoting two officials with knowledge of the decision, said that a formal decision about the suspension will be made at the end of the first day’s Executive Board meeting here.
The decision was largely expected after the IOA decided to go ahead with the elections tomorrow under the Government’s Sports Code, defying the IOC’s diktat to hold the polls under the Olympic Charter.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the official announcement had not been made yet.
The IOC had repeatedly told the IOA not follow the Government’s sports code for the elections on the ground that it would be a violation of the Olympic Charter and compromise autonomy. But the IOA went ahead saying they were bound by the Delhi High Court order.
Suspension meant that the IOA will stop receiving IOC funding and its officials will be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India’s athletes will be barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag, but they can participate under the IOC banner.
The IOA top brass said that they were not aware of the decision yet as no communication has been sent to them yet.
Sports Minister Jitendra Singh said that it was an “unfortunate decision” for Indian sports community.
“Once we knew about the mess we had written to the IOC but they never responded,” Jitendra said.
The IOA has the option of challenging the IOC’s decision in the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
The developments has now put a cloud of uncertainty over tomorrow’s IOA elections which has already seen Abhay Singh Chautala being elected unopposed. Scam-tainted Lalit Bhanot had also been elected unopposed as the Secretary General.
IOA acting chief V K Malhotra said that they have been pressing the Government not to impose the Sports Code on the IOA for the last two years but it has not paid any results.
“We had written to the Prime Minster on November 23 that such a thing could happen but there was no reply. The Government is responsible for this,” he said.
“We want that the Government, the IOC and the IOA sit together and resolve the issue so that the suspension on India is lifted. We had no option but to hold the elections under the Sports Code because of the High Court order,” he said.
India earns the dubious distinction among a handful of countries which have faced suspension from the world sports governing body.
South Africa had been suspended for its apartheid policy while Kuwait faced the same fate for Government interference before it was re-admitted after the Gulf country’s Olympic body amended its constitution.
The Netherlands Antilles and South Sudan were also banned for not forming their national Olympic Committees.
The development sparked off outrage among India’s top athletes who expressed anguish at the IOC decision. Some of the former athletes like sprinter Ashwini Nachappa and shooter Moraad Ali Khan who blamed the squabbling within the IOA for the fiasco.
The IOC had last week made it clear that it would propose the suspension of the IOA in its Executive Board Meeting if the IOA elections are held under the Government’s Sports Code.
Keywords: International Olympic Committee, India’s national Olympic body, Indian Olympic Association, IOC executive board, Olympic Charter, IOC funding, India’s athletes, Olympic events, Sports Minister Jitendra Singh, Government’s Sports Code, Court of Arbitration for Sports, Abhay Singh Chautala, Scam-tainted Lalit Bhanot, IOA acting chief V K Malhotra, Sports Code, Prime Minster, South Africa, Netherlands Antilles, South Sudan, sprinter Ashwini Nachappa, shooter Moraad Ali Khan, Executive Board Meeting,
Comments:
May be if the IOA had been taken over by the BCCI and the under the
MIGHT of POWAR, the government could have buckled.
This Govt does not have its own sense in any case.
Correct decision taken by the committee-it waas long due!
This is a disgrace and absolute shame to our nation and the spirited SPORTS
community.
why?
Look at china - when the unqualified - politicians get involved and wrapping up
like a cabbage the Bureaucrats and te police along with them.
Lining up their pockets and having agala time in 5 star hotels- commissions for
every product purchased and Good time in travelling with friend s and family.
If INDIA has to revive from falling grace not only Sport s but simple keep the
politicians OUT!
They are the trouble and cause.
We bring in the hard core military /defence for Law and ordre -police come under
the army.
For governance we just need 10 top heads who will then form their departments .
10 top heads are:
Dr. Kalam
-Sam pitrorda
-Nandan nilekani
-Azim premji
-Ratan tata
-Amritya sen
-Anand Mahindra
-Narayan murthy
-Kejriwal
-Jyotindra scindia
-kamath
With all defnce chiefs on board with top 10 BRAINS
Just enough.
Sweep the jokers out .
Let the military handle the management with ex: Olympians and participants like
Milka singh- and our sportsmen.
who know what is olympics-standards - ethics -etiquette-rules.
Learn from the chinese everything.
what a shame .
we get beaten every where due to these jokers.wow!
what a pity.
What IOC has done is just the right thing...Yes it is shameful for me as an Indian...But then , it is our mistake ..that we field 100% corrupt people , who know nothing abt sports...Why couldnt they just appoint sportspersons for these jobs ? Atleast they will be sincere....PT Usha, IM Vijayan, so many athletes are there who have not earned much money, and who still have to work hard to make for each eal....Why cant they be given these top jobs in sports ? What does it take to restructure the entire sports establishment in India, including the BCCI / AFFI/ IOA / SAI etc..?
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