Playing Rough
The turf wars of sports associations turn ugly
Another ugly slugfest has broken out in the state, this time centred on the Maharashtra Olympic Association’s allegedly biased treatment of its affiliated sports associations. No less than seven associations—swimming, gymnastics, cycling, karate, hockey, athletics, volleyball and handball—have decried the MOA’s bid to undermine them by promoting parallel bodies. The state swimming association has even approached the Bombay High Court alleging that MOA was “attempting to intrude” into its domain by insisting on supervising elections to its organising committee.
The MOA, headed by NCP strongman Ajit Pawar, is also seeing dissent from within. Member Kishor Vaidya says the body has become autocratic because it is out of the ambit of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. If the code were applicable, the MOA wouldn’t be able to take decisions unilaterally. He wants CM Devendra Fadnavis to order a probe into the MOA under the 1950 Bombay Public Trusts Act.
Unfortunately, the disputes are now affecting Maharashtra sports as well. The MOA remained curiously mute when the National Swimming Association debarred 50 state swimmers from the national tournament in 2016. Then there was much confusion when two state teams turned up for the national taekwondo tournament held in Kerala last year. MOA secretary Balasaheb Landge says the associations are raising red herrings as they want to influence the March 25 elections to the management body.
Meanwhile, the Fadnavis government is bent on staying neutral. “Both parties have registered complaints against each other. We are confused,” says sports minister Vinod Tawde.
The state swimming association has taken the Olympic association to court over “intrusions”