The 41st general body meeting (AGM) of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Saturday approved that the office-bearers of the IOA would remain in power for a maximum of two terms (one term is of four years). Earlier, the IOA was in favour of four terms.
The decision is significant in the light of the sports ministry's directive on fixing the age and tenure of all heads of National Sports Federations, including the IOA, following the reports of irregularities in the Commonwealth Games last year. The AGM also fixed 60 as the maximum age for members.
The AGM took place on a day which also witnessed the opening of the 34th National Games. The meeting was chaired by IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, who termed it as fruitful. IOA vice-president, SM Bali, said the AGM had constituted a committee to talk to the government and a final decision would be taken. The meeting stayed mum on removing Kalmadi from the top post of IOA.
National Games begin
An agonising wait of four years and six postponements later, the 34th National Games finally got off with a colourful opening ceremony at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium here on Saturday.
Organisational chaos and mismanagement took some sheen off the opening ceremony but singer Sukhwinder Singh and Bollywood artists Vivek Oberoi and Ameesha Patel's riveting performances ensured that the spectators were enthralled at the three-hour programme.
{{/usCountry}}Organisational chaos and mismanagement took some sheen off the opening ceremony but singer Sukhwinder Singh and Bollywood artists Vivek Oberoi and Ameesha Patel's riveting performances ensured that the spectators were enthralled at the three-hour programme.
{{/usCountry}}The timing of the February 12-26 National Games clashing with the much-awaited World Cup in the sub-continent proved to be a dampener as the premier multi-discipline competition of the country failed to generate a keen media interest nationwide.