Winds of change seems to be blowing in the Capital. The tone was set on Sunday morning with the Aam Aadmi Party, riding on the aspirations of people seeking good governance, leaving the national parties shell-shocked.
And in the afternoon, bowing to the voices of thousands of sportspersons and people hankering for good governance, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) amended its constitution to keep charge framed people from contesting its elections.
With the National Olympic Committee (NOC) facing the ultimate humiliation of being thrown out of the Olympic movement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as early as next Tuesday, the IOA in a special general body meeting on Sunday, decided to make changes to the constitution and set February 9 as election date.
The move thus paves the way for the IOA to return to the Olympic fold, pending ratification by the IOC which meets on Tuesday and Wednesday.
IOA official S Raghunathan said: "The IOA has unanimously decided to amend the relevant clause in its constitution which would bar charge-framed persons from contesting elections."
Though the IOA has reluctantly amended its constitution, it has left the door ajar for those officials debarred by this clause. It has decided that such issues will be referred to the IOA Ethics Commission "for further guidance".
{{/usCountry}}Though the IOA has reluctantly amended its constitution, it has left the door ajar for those officials debarred by this clause. It has decided that such issues will be referred to the IOA Ethics Commission "for further guidance".
{{/usCountry}}Thus, if the Ethics Commission feels so, it can clear the debarred person to seek re-election soon or contest the subsequent election. A stern warning issued by IOC president Thomas Bach on Saturday that India "would be kicked out of the Olympics if it fails to comply with the rules of good governance" was the proverbial last straw, leaving the Indian sports administrators with little choice but to amend the contentious clause.