IOA sidelined: Malhotra

Vice-president of Indian Olympic Association was visibly agitated over formation of C'wealth Games organising committee under the chairmanship of Sports Minister.

Senior vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Prof VK Malhotra, was visibly agitated over the formation of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee under the chairmanship of the Sports Minister Sunil Dutt.

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"It is a direct confrontation with the IOA and the meeting (which was convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended by Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Lt. Governor B L Joshi and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gulam Nabi Azad among others) does not have our consent," said an angry Malhotra.

"The government has no authority on this issue. We welcome the Prime Minister's initiative to build infrastructure in Delhi but tell me who is running the game in the country? The formation of the organising committee is the prerogative of the IOA," Malhotra said.

"They (the Sports Ministry) did not call us at the meeting. It's a tradition world over that the National Olympic Association forms the committee and then informs the International Olympic Committee (IOC)," said Malhotra.

In fact, we had asked for some time from the government as the IOA is in the process of elections and after that the general body would have taken the decision... I hope the IOA will take notice of this issue," he said.

Meanwhile, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, when contacted refused to comment.