OLYMPIC CHARGE
TOA president Jitender Reddy fumes at Sports Authority snub
Member of Parliament and president of the Telangana Olympic Association A.P. Jitender Reddy has taken strong objections to the Sports Authority of Telangana State officials ignoring his body and instead inviting officials of the Olympic Association of Telangana, with whom TOA is fighting a legal battle to be recognised as the state’s legitimate Olympic body, at a recent function to interact with and felicitate Jwala Gutta, Gagan Narang and B.V. Papa Rao who were inducted into the Sports Authority of India’s recently-constituted Governing Body.
SATS has recognised OAT as the official body last year based on the report of its observer and the recognition certificate given by the Indian Olympic Association to OAT. TOA is contesting the decision in court.
“How can Ranga Rao and Prem Raj (OAT president and secretary respectively) be called for the meeting and not Jitender Reddy and Jagdishwar Yadav (TOA secretary)?” Jitender Reddy questioned.
“Our elections have legal sanctity. As per directions of the High Court, we have bifurcated Andhra and Telangana regions and conducted elections with retired High Court judge Justice Verma as the observer.
“A parallel meeting was held in a city hotel where the rival body got themselves elected. They cannot not recognised because according to the Olympic association constitution, an executive committee meeting has to be conducted soon after and elections ratified.
“Also, an authorisation letter has to be issued by the general secretary of the national Olympic association. They have not done this, but have got a letter from the IOA president, which is invalid. We have taken them to court and the matter is sub-judice,” Mr Reddy, the TRS Parliamentary Floor Leader, said.
Mr Reddy accused the SATS officials of partisan behaviour. “Since the dispute is pending in court, SATS officers were not right in calling OAT officials for the meet. Also, the president and secretary of OAT fall foul of eligibility criteria,” he alleged.