New Delhi: In a show of strength the political heavyweights stood shoulder to shoulder with Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi on Monday as he dubbed as "draconian" the government's move to fix the tenure of the office-bearers of the National Sports Federations (NSF).
Addressing a crowded media conference at the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee headquarters here, a furious Kalmadi thundered that the NSFs would take appropriate action to protect their "autonomy" come what may.
Kalmadi reminded Sports Minister MS Gill that his own Sports Authroity of India has not held a General Body meeting for several years whereas NSFs and the Indian Olympic Association go through the exercise regularly in a democratic way.
"We conduct our elections in total transperacy and we follow the Olympic Charter. So, nobody can interfere in our affairs," said Kalmadi, who has been waging a war of words with Gill on the proposed government guidelines.
The sports ministry on Sunday stated that the IOA and its affiliated NSFs should follow government guidelines which restrict the tenure of presidents to 12 years and that of the secretaries and treasurers to two successive terms of four years each with a proviso of re-election after a gap of four years.
Kalmadi warned the ministry that any government interference in the functioning of the IOA will invite the wrath of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as happened with Kuwait recently. The Kuwaiti Olympic body was suspended in January because the Kuwait government was interfering in its activities.
"We took stock of the situation arising out of the Sports Ministry's move. It was not that we were not expecting it, but the timing of it has surprised us.
"The Coordination Commission of the Commonwealth Games (CoCoM) is in Delhi and we were preparing for the meeting for the last one month because it is their final visit to assess our preparedness. The CWG is just 150 days away and the sports ministry has come out with the draconian measure to attack the federations and the IOA," Kalmadi said.
"At a time when we should be pooling our efforts to see how India could increase its medal tally at the CWG, we are saddled with extraneous factors. Even the CoCom was surprised to hear this."
Kalmadi called it as an "assault on the autonomy of the NSFs."
"We are surprised at the attitite of the ministry. We are equally interseted in the transparency and acountability. The ministry is on record saying that all federations have submitted all their accounts. The NSFs are hodling the nationals in seniors, juniors and other levels. When everything is in order, why the ministry is after us?" Kalmadi asked.
"We are set to get good medals in the Commonwealth Games and Olympics. Remember, we topped the medals tally at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune. Even the prime minister is very interested in the Commonwealth Games."
Kalmadi also said that the NSFs had no problems in coming under the RTI.
"We accepted RTI, we did not go to court. We have nothing to hide because everything is in order."
Kalmadi said he has called for a meeting of the IOA executive committee on May 18 to discuss the issue.
"We may even call a general assembly meeting of the IOA. Everybody has to come together in the interest of sports. Autonomy is paramount to us."
Among those who shared the dais with Kalmadi were: Archery Association of India president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, IOA secretary general Randhir Singh, All India Tennis Association secretary general Anil Khanna, Rowing Federation of India chief K. P. Singh Deo, Judo Federation president Jagdish Tytler, Cycling Federation president Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Badminton Association of India president V. K. Verma, Athletics Federation of India secretary general Lalit Bhanot, former Hockey India president Ashok Kumar Mattoo and secretary general Aslam Khan.
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