NEW DELHI: The day after a three-member CoA was appointed for running the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for its "persistent recalcitrance" in following the Sports Code, the country's national Olympic committee is now staring at an international ban by the world body - the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Among the options available with it is to challenge the Delhi High Court's order in the Supreme Court or send a delegation to the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne to explain the situation. However, despite the suspension threat looming over its head, the IOA's executive committee (EC) members aren't shying away from indulging in factional infighting and groupism.
On Tuesday, it was learnt that the IOA's core committee member, Lalit Bhanot, held a video conference with a group of EC and general house members to discuss the fallout. The discussion revolved around the court's order to take away the voting rights of state Olympic associations, age and tenure restrictions and barring persons against whom criminal charges have been framed from being part of sports federations. It's been also learnt that a proposal was mooted to send a delegation of IOC's honorary member, Raja Randhir Singh, and IOC member Nita Ambani to Lausanne to hold talks with IOC president Thomas Bach.
The 'unofficial' initiative came under a sharp attack from IOA treasurer Anandeshwar Panday. "The delegation will be sent to IOC by the elected representatives of the IOA, which is its acting president Anil Khanna, secretary general Rajeev Mehta and myself. If Raja ji and Nita ji want to accompany us to find out an amicable solution, they are most welcome to come with us to Lausanne. Khanna and Mehta have been looking at legal opinions and we are hopeful of finding a solution," Panday told TOI.
