IOA still divided ahead of IOC meet

Instead of putting up a united front, the Indian sports administrators, it seems, are divided, ahead of the joint meeting of the government and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) with the International Olympic Committee to resolve the issue of National Olympic Committee (NOC) suspension, at its headquarter in Lausanne on May 15.

Instead of putting up a united front, the Indian sports administrators, it seems, are divided, ahead of the joint meeting of the government and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) with the International Olympic Committee to resolve the issue of National Olympic Committee (NOC) suspension, at its headquarter in Lausanne on May 15.

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Even as VK Malhotra, acting president of the IOA (recognised by the IOC) officially announced the names of delegation for the May 15 meeting, there are speculations that the IOA headed by Abhay Singh Chautala, which has been suspended by the IOC, is planning to send a delegation to Lausanne.

Surprisingly, the name of Malhotra did not figure in Chautala's team, hinting at internal squabbling between officials. With all the stakeholders yet to arrive at a consensus, it might not augur well for a nation that is hoping to come back into the Olympic movement.

Malhotra will lead the IOA delegation, while N Ramachandran (Squash Racquets Federation of India), Tarlochan Singh (vice-president, Archery Association of India) and S Reghunathan (Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association) will be the other members.

But the name of Hockey India secretary-general, Narinder Batra, and RK Anand (president Jharkhand Olympic Association) and Adille Sumariwalla (president, Athletics Federation of India) were also floated by the suspended IOA.

Meanwhile, the sports ministry's delegation, apart from sports minister, Jitendra Singh and secretary (sports) PK Deb will also including India's Beijing Games Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra and sailor Malav Shroff.