The sporting stars of the country could become a casualty in the ongoing feud between the administrators of sports federations and the sports ministry as the International Olympic Council came down harshly on the government over the tenure limit issue. The IOC even issued a veiled threat that India could be thrown out of the Olympic movement as early as next month, if they went ahead with the new regulation.
In a letter addressed to sports minister M.S. Gill, IOC National Olympic Committee relations director Pere Miro and Olympic Council of Asia director General Husain Al-Musallam said that if the ministry insisted on implementing the guidelines, the issue would be referred to the IOC executive board next month and could potentially lead to India’s suspension or de-recognition from the Olympic family.
“We would like to remind you, once more, that in the event where the directives issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports would be imposed on the Olympic Movement in India (even for future elections) we would be forced to report this case to the next IOC executive board meeting (in June) according to the rules of the Olympic Charter,” they wrote in the letter.
The sports ministry guideline which restricts the National Sports Federations, including the Indian Olympic Association, presidents’ tenure to 12 years, states that secretaries and treasurers cannot be in office for more than eight years at a stretch and advocates a retirement age of 70 for all executives.
Those who would be affected if the guideline comes into effect would be IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and NSF chiefs including V.K. Malhotra (archery), Jagdish Tytler (judo) and S.S. Dhindsa (cycling).
Throwing their weight behind the IOA and NSFs, Miro and Al-Musallam warned the sports ministry against going ahead with the regulation and spelt out Rule 28.9 of the Olympic Charter.
The rule states: “Apart from the measures and sanctions provided in the case of infringement of the Olympic Charter, the IOC executive board may take any appropriate decisions for the protection of the Olympic Movement in the country of an NOC, including suspension of or withdrawal of recognition from such NOC if the constitution, law or other regulations in force in the country concerned, or any act by any governmental or other body causes the activity of the NOC or the making or expression of its will to be hampered.”
This was in reaction to the May 12 letter sent to IOC by the sports ministry in which joint-secretary Injeti Srinivas had assured that the guideline would not affect the current office bearers of the IOA and NSFs and would be effective only from future elections.
A copy of the letter, addressed to Kalmadi as well, was sent to IOC president Jacques Rogge.
‘CWG could be in jeopardy’
Archery Association of India president Malhotra said on Saturday that if Gill continues to press for implementation of the guideline it might jeopardise the country’s chances of hosting the Commonwealth Games.
“Nowhere in the world is there such a rule. The IOC has given a damning reply to it and if the sports minister still insists on its implementation, the Commonwealth Games could also be jeopardised,” Malhotra told reporters here.