Kalmadi re-elected IOA President

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi (File photo)

In what just turned out to be a formality, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections retained the same office-bearers with president Suresh Kalmadi set to continue for his fourth consecutive term in office. The long list of office bearers and the executive members features some new names with few cosmetic changes here and there.

At their Annual General Meeting at a city hotel here, the IOA had their quadrennial elections with the affiliate members deciding to choose the same office bearers for another term. Having been chosen unopposed, Kalmadi said, “This four years means we have to remain in office till 2012 and hence the onus of a performance in London 2012 will be on us.

“The Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) are set to begin on Sunday. In 2010, India have two big events up in store with the Commonwealth Games and then the hockey World Cup and the next year, we also stage the Asian Hockey Championship. So currently we have our plate full. We have to deliver. But the ultimate dream would be to bring in 2020 Olympics to India.”

Asked his reaction about K.P.S. Gill’s scathing comments that “IOA is a fake organisation”, Kalmadi chose to be diplomatic. “It’s a democracy. Everybody has his or her right of expression. I can’t ask somebody to stop commenting on something.”