The Volleyball Federation of India (VFI), like many other national sports bodies, has accepted the Government guidelines on age and tenure restrictions for its office bearers.

During the elections, held recently in Chennai, the VFI saw a President and Secretary from outside Tamil Nadu at the helm, perhaps after several years.

With the federation’s long-serving and affable chief, Sivanthi Adityan’s demise earlier this year, and secretary general K. Murugan having completed the three mandatory four-year terms, it meant the sports body was forced to pass on the baton to newcomers.

Avadesh Chaudhary from Uttarakhand is the new President and former international Ram Avatar Singh from Rajasthan is its new secretary general. VFI insiders, however, say the two have been hand-picked by Murugan to be the figure heads of the federation.

Murugan became ineligible to hold any executive post as he has turned 70. He has become its chief executive officer, the move ensuring that the VFI power centre remains in Chennai, and under his control.

Well-run organisation

The move, in a way, also enables VFI to circumvent the government guidelines on age and tenure.

It is a fact that volleyball thrived under the patronage of the late Sivanthi Adityan. When the Union Government shifted the sport out of the priority list a few years ago — due to which government funding was cut — it was the late Adityan who stood behind volleyball and saw off the bad days.

Today, the VFI is a well-run organisation. Murugan has contributed a lot to the sport.

As a senior federation member it is his duty to leave the game in better hands so that the sport he loved so much will continue to thrive.

It is important that he ensures the next generation will be capable of running the VFI in an effective manner to bring laurels to the country.

>sabanayakan.s@thehindu.co.in

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