With India facing the very tangible danger of being kicked out of the Olympic family following a series of tersely-worded emails between the International Olympic Committee and the sports ministry over tenure limits, the latter has sought to defuse the situation through a meeting with IOC President Jacques Rogge.
In his letter to Rogge, sports joint secretary Injeti Srinivas sought an immediate meeting to clear the air, adding that the ministry had not received a copy of the letter in which the IOC had threatened to take up the issue in its executive board meeting next month, which could apparently lead to India’s ouster from the Olympic family.
“We are confident that IOC will acquaint itself with the full facts before forming any view in the present case. We expect that our meeting with you can be scheduled early to enable a comprehensive appreciation of the entire matter,” Srinivas said.
Without naming IOA general secretary Randhir Singh, who is also an IOC member, the ministry accused him of trying to mislead the IOC and complicating the issue.
“It is unfortunate that the IOC member from India has not even cared to consult us before taking up this matter with you,” Srinivas said.
The ministry also accused IOA officials of creating the crisis only to protect their interests. “This an attempt to create a false situation of crisis, by a few interested persons, whose only aim is to protect their unduly long tenures in the IOA and the NSFs,” Srinivas said.
At the centre of this ongoing row is the recent sports ministry guidelines which states NSF presidents cannot rule for more than 12 years, secretaries and treasurers cannot function more than eight years at a stretch and all executives have to retire at 70.
The guidelines, if implemented, would end the tenure of IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi and NSF chiefs including V.K. Malhotra (archery), Jagdish Tytler (judo) and S.S. Dhindsa (cycling).
In the letter on Tuesday, the ministry cited government sports regulations in countries like USA and Malaysia to assert that ensuring accountability of NSFs was not in violation of the Olympic Charter.
The ministry said being an IOC member and an Olympic Council of Asia general secretary Randhir was well aware of regulations internationally but had kept the IOC in the dark about the scenario in India.
“He is fully aware of the proceedings before the Delhi High Court, as IOA is a respondent, in the ongoing Public Interest Litigation. Further, as the Secretary General of OCA, he is conversant with the sports legislations of Malaysia and Sri Lanka,” the letter said.