The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
A new year of wilderness awaits IOA
For their latest gaffe, Sports Ministry suspends the association, which now risks international ostracism yet again
HEADING INTO new year, the Indian Olympic Association risks being drifted into wilderness once again. The sports ministry suspended the IOA on Friday for showing defiance following the appointment of beleaguered administrators Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala as its life presidents.
The decision came after the IOA failed to furnish a satisfactory response to a show-cause notice, which the ministry had issued on Wednesday. The deadline for the IOA to reply was 5pm on Friday. Instead, the Olympic body sought an extention till January 15, saying they needed to consult their president N Ramachandran, who is out of the country.
“Government is not satisfied with the response of IOA since they have not given any substantive reply especially with regard to the non-eligibility of Shri Suresh Kalmadi and Shri Abhay Chautala. Government considers the reply of IOA only as a ploy to buy time,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry added the IOA will cease to enjoy the 'privileges' from the government and all financial aid will be stopped with immediate effect. “The IOA now can't take any financial assistance, facilities and privileges from the government till the time they are suspended," sports minister Vijay Goel said.
The IOA received financial support from the government primarily during multi-discipline events, with kits and travel being the main areas of expense. The IOA, though, said it hasn't taken a penny from the ministry in one year. “We paid for the entire expense for the Olympics. Last year, we made it clear that we won't take any financial help from the government. So the suspension doesn't really affect us much,” an IOA official said.
Kalmadi and Chautala were elevated to the honorary position at the IOA'S Annual General Meeting in Chennai on December 27, leaving the sports ministry fuming. Following the uproar, Kalmadi declined the offer but Chautala has remained defiant. “This is a serious violation of the norms of good governance by IOA which is the mother sports body and corrective action needs to be taken immediately as it is a matter of national prestige and public sentiments,” the ministry said in a statement.
The appointments of the tainted duo also didn't go down well within IOA'S own house with former Hockey India chief and newlyappointed International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Narinder Batra today resigning as the Olympic body's associate vicepresident in protest.
Divided house
The suspension comes at a time when IOA'S is still trying to get its house in order following a two-year suspension imposed on it by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The association's president and secretary general have had a strained relationship and was been accused of lacking leadership by its own members.
Four years ago, the IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee, citing the government's interference. Back then, the sports ministry had come down heavily on them for appointing Chautala as its president, defying the sports code. Goel, however, said the ministry could not remain a 'mute spectator' in this case.
Ramachandran, who is in New Zealand, could not be reached for a comment while secretary general Rajiv Mehta too remained unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, the IOA vice president Tarlochan Singh was unaware of the ministry's move. "I have come only come to know about the suspension through media.