Imposition of Lodha panel norms irks sports bodies

Recommendations cannot be imposed over the national sports federations, which come under IOA; the IOA follows the Olympic Charter

National sports federations have expressed unhappiness over the Rajasthan high court’s direction to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to implement Lodha Committee recommendations within three months.

The key recommendations are: office-bearers of sports federations (president, secretary and treasurer) above 70 years have to resign, three-year tenures and a three-year gap between two terms; and one can contest for a post only once.

“Recommendations cannot be imposed over the national sports federations, which come under IOA; the IOA follows the Olympic Charter. It is not possible to impose the recommendations over the federations,” said Ramsaid. avtar Singh Jakhar, secretary general of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI).

The charter says the term of a office-bearer is four years and he/she can hold a post till the age of 70 years.

“There are no provisions of three-year term with one cooling period in the charter. The term of a federation post is four years throughout the world,” Jakhar “We will discuss with IOA and see what directions they will give us and accordingly, the next step will be taken,” he said. “The committee recommendations were made for cricket, not for other games.”

The Olympic association adviser Anandeswar Pandey from Lucknow said,

“The decision is unjustified. Football, boxing, athletic, volleyball and handball federations are independent. They do not take anything from government.”

Judo Federation of India secretary general Manmohan Jaiswal said, “If a 70-year old person can become an MLA or an MP, then why can’t we hold a federation post? The decision will damage sports in the country.”

He said, “The government gives grants to players, but not to federations; then how can this decision be implemented?”