World golf body IGF critical of IOA’s ‘interference’ in elections
To recognise another executive body, not affiliated to the IGF, is in direct contravention of the Olympic Charter, IGF executive director Antony Scanlon writes to IOA president
New Delhi: The International Golf Federation (IGF) on Wednesday came down hard on the Indian Olympic Association for “interference” in the elections of Indian Golf Union.
IGF executive director Antony Scanlon, in a letter to IOA president PT Usha on Tuesday, extended recognition to IGU headed by Brijender Singh as president, and asked her to provide affiliation to the body as per the rules of the Olympic charter.
While criticising IOA for “actively undermining” the IGU electoral process and facilitating a faction holding “non-constitutional and invalid alternate Annual General Meeting and elections at its premises,” IGF said it has reported the matter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IGU elections came under scanner with two factions of the federation conducting separate polls at different venues in the New Delhi on December 15. Singh was elected president for a second consecutive term in the polls held at the India Habitat Centre with retired high court judge Rameshwar Malik as returning officer.
The IOA and Sports Ministry have recognised different sets of office-bearers. While IOA has recognized the faction led by Harish Kumar Shetty as president, the Sports Ministry has backed Singh’s election, subject to the ongoing court case in the matter.
Scanlon said the IGF have found no reason to question the legitimacy of the IGU AGM and election held at India Habitat Centre, and that they were held in accordance with their constitution and the procedures of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. “As such, we recognise and fully support the office bearers announced by the Returning Officer HJ Rameshwar Singh Malik and ratified by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
“We contend that neither the IOA nor you as President of the IOA has any jurisdiction over the IGU Annual General Meeting nor its electoral process,” said Scanlon.
“We find it extraordinary that the IOA would actively undermine the IGU electoral process and facilitate a faction holding a non-constitutional and invalid alternate Annual General Meeting and elections at the premises of the IOA,” he said.
He said IOA’s interference then extended to wrongly recognizing this faction’s elections and in turn to undermine the credibility of the constitutionally and fairly elected IGU executive.”
“As such to recognise another executive body, not affiliated to the IGF, is in direct contravention of the Olympic Charter. We strongly implore you to immediately rectify this matter,” he said.
Scanlon said IGF is extremely disappointed with the decision to remove golf from the programme of sports at the ongoing National Games. “It is regrettable that your actions serve to punish the athletes for political purposes and in direct conflict with Article 27.2.2 of the Olympic Charter whereby the role of an NOC is ‘to encourage the development of high performance sport.”
“The IGF implores you to reconsider this decision and to place the athletes’ interests above those of personal and political interests.”