CSI slams IOA officials for objecting to IOC directive

Clean Sports India, a movement for corruption-free sports in the country, on Monday lashed out at Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officials for objecting to IOC's directive to bar charge-sheeted persons from contesting elections, saying that their "bankrupt arguments" have totally exposed them.

The CSI said that it has sent a letter to Inter national Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, thanking the world body for taking up the initiative to clean up Indian sports.

"We have written to the IOC exposing the true lies of Indian Olympic Leaders for last three decades. CSI President Ashwini Nachappa has assured IOC leadership that the Indian Sporting Community will stand by the IOC in it's initiative to clean up the sports system in India," the CSI said.

"The argument of IOA leaders that some of the suggestions of IOC are against the ' Law of the Land' is a bankrupt argument of IOA leaders," said B V P Rao, Convener of CSI.

"These very leaders of IOA have been arguing that the Government Guidelines will not be accepted by the parent body IOC. Now when their parent body IOC, from which they receive their title Indian 'Olympic' Association, asks them to amend their constitution to start cleaning up the mess created by them, they say these instructions are against their 'Law of the Land'," he said.

"Last thirty years these very unscrupulous politi- cians went against each of the sports ministers complaining to IOC that the Indian Government was interfering in so called 'Autonomy' of Olympic Movement. Now they are totally exposed with their lies," said Reeth Abraham, Joint Convener of CSI.

"If IOA does not accept the IOC recommendations and India's suspension is not revoked the current leadership of IOA will held responsible. CSI appeals to the sporting community, general public of India and media to build public opinion against these self-seeking Indian Olympic leaders to amend their constitution as instructed by the IOC and make way for India in to Olympic Movement to fly Indian flag again in the international tournaments by Indian athletes."

NANJING (CHINA): Indian paddler Abhishek Yadav, playing a marathon fifth game, defeated Malaysia’s Dunley Foo to enter the semifinals of the men’s singles table tennis competitions, thus ensuring himself at least a bronze medal at the ongoing second Asian Youth Games on Monday.

The Indian disposed of Foo 4-1 (11-6, 11-5, 15-13, 5-11, 18-16) in 41 minutes, which included two games that tested Yadav's patience. He will now meet the top-seeded Chinese Zhendong Fan in the semi-finals later in the evening. The Chinese beat Taipei’s Chia-Hung Sun in straight games.

With no play-off, both the losing semi-finalists will be awarded bronze medals.