Former Sports Minister criticises IOC on IOA elections

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Former Sports Minister M S Gill today lambasted the International Olympic Committee for threatening to suspend India and said the country should not be "frightened of paper tigers" who are rejecting electoral reforms in the IOA despite following them in their own case.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections that are scheduled next month are embroiled in controversy and the IOC is threatening to suspend India if government guidelines on age and tenure limitation are implemented.

The IOC says the IOA elected should be conducted minus any government interference.
Gill, however, rejected the IOC's stand, saying it smacks of "sports imperialism".

"There has been a continuing malady in Indian sports management, which everyone is conscious of. Heavy political presence, unlimited continuous tenure from 20 years to 40 years, invariably without any sports background," he said in a statement.

Gill recalled how efforts by former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to bring in reforms in the sports governance were scuttled.

"The IOA people led by their then Chairman, all pressed the fear of the IOC action in their defense, and suggested to the PM not to do anything.

"Rajiv Gandhi rejected their threat and said let the IOC ban us. We will use money spent on all of you for coaching of young sports persons. I have this knowledge from the then Union Sports Minister, who especially telephoned me to tell me and urge me to carry out the reforms. I dug out the minutes of 1987 meeting," he claimed.