IOA executive panel meeting to be a stormy affair

Some top officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are expected to face a 'tough challenge' from their own colleagues at the executive committee meeting to be held at the Olympic Bhawan in New Delhi on May 24.

Some top officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are expected to face a 'tough challenge' from their own colleagues at the executive committee meeting to be held at the Olympic Bhawan in New Delhi on May 24.

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A few executive committee members have decided to raise their voice against the curbing of voting rights of the state Olympic associations in the IOA election as they feel this would be against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) charter.

A senior member of the executive committee, Anandeshwar Pandey, who is also the secretary of the UP Olympic Association, accused some IOA 'bigwigs' of supporting the sports ministry's move to deny voting rights to the state associations.

"The IOC charter states that sports should be within the reach of every individual, and if only the national federations are allowed to decide the fate of the IOA, how will they implement their plans at the block and village level?" asked Pandey.

"This move would help the government take over the IOA and run sport on its whims and fancies. Most of the executive committee members have agreed to oppose the move," said Pandey. While supporting the government proposal for having 25 per cent sportspersons in sports federations, Pandey said, "Almost all the federations have 50-60 per cent sportspersons, who are working at the grass-root. In such a situation, there is no need for such a rule.