M.S. Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 4

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary-general Randhir Singh said here today that as per the constitution of the IOA, it was mandatory for all the national sports federations to give affiliation to duly constituted State Sports Associations, recognised by the respective State Olympic Association.

“You cannot deny affiliation to a State body by a national body if it has fulfilled the guidelines laid down by the IOA, and which has been endorsed by the concerned State Olympic Association”, Randhir said, in reference to Hockey Punjab’s bid to seek affiliation to Hockey India. He said Hockey Punjab cannot be denied affiliation to the apex body as it had fulfilled all the norms for merging of the four hockey bodies in the State.

Randhir said he had been president of Pepsu, which had now merged with Hockey Punjab, being headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. “Hockey Punjab has to be automatically recognised by the national federation (Hockey India), as it has been recognised by the Punjab Olympic Association (headed by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa), which is an affiliate of the IOA”, said Randhir, who is also the vice-chairman of the Organising Committee of 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

He said the IOA was very keen and determined to ensure transparency in the functioning of the national federations for the healthy working of the sports bodies. Randhir said if transparently constituted State sports bodies had any problem getting affiliation to the national federations, they were free to contact the IOA secretariat for the redressal of their grievances.

Randhir said though he could not speak about Sukhbir Singh Badal’s complaints against Hockey India and Suresh Kalmadi, he was of the firm view that elections to any apex sports body should be held in a transparent and democratic manner.

He said 60 per cent of the population of the country comprised of youth, “who are looking toward us for support from the sports bodies, and we cannot let down their hopes and aspirations.”

Randhir said Hockey Punjab had been constituted in a transparent and democratic manner and therefore, it was the right of the State body to get into the Hockey India fold, before elections to the apex body was held. “The IOA stands for total autonomy for the transparent and independent functioning of the national federations. In the same way, we cannot stifle the functioning of duly constituted State bodies by denying them their just status”, added Randhir, who is also India’s member in the International Olympic Committee.