Not interested in HI job: Kalmadi

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 24

“I am not interested, why they all keep on attacking me,” says Suresh Kalmadi, President, Indian Olympic Association, wondering why Olympian and Director of Punjab Sports Pargat Singh should blame him for the hockey muddle.

“Hockey India is an autonomous body. Being the President of the Indian Olympic Association, the umbrella organization, I am not supposed to interfere in the working of any autonomous organization like a National Sports Federation,” he told The Tribune over the telephone this evening. “My job is to intervene only when necessary and in the larger interest of Indian sports and sportspersons. I had intervened in the case of hockey players’ controversy only after it had gone beyond the control of ad hoc committee of Hockey India. I also intervened in case of Abhinav Bindra. I step in only in the larger interest of sports. But it is unfair to think that I want to capture any federation,” he said.

Suresh Kalmadi was made the target by Hockey Punjab Secretary Pargat Singh for his alleged attempts to keep the basic nursery of Indian hockey out of the coming Hockey India elections. Pargat had accused the IOA chief for creating obstacles not only in delaying affiliation to the duly and legally unified Hockey Punjab but also meddling in the constitution of Electoral College for the Hockey India elections.

Suresh Kalmadi, however, clarified that had he been interested in capturing Hockey India, he would have done it long ago. “If the affiliation of Hockey Punjab was delayed, it was because some of the documents were not submitted in time. Once the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and President of Hockey Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal and Pargat Singh came to Delhi and met me, the issue was resolved.

“But I do not know why Pargat Singh thinks that way I am interested in the affairs of Hockey India,” lamented Suresh Kalmadi. Hockey India is an autonomous body and it should handle its affairs in its own way. IOA intervenes only when necessary added Suresh Kalmadi hoping that India would hold the 2010 World Cup successfully in the union capital.