Indians should write their wish to International Olympic Committee

Let sports lovers give feedback to IOC

Time has come for Indian sports lovers to act. The IOC is almost taking decisions which is going to support and protect the vested interests in our Sports Federations, whom a government guidelines seek to eradicate. Sports lovers should not sit back and allow things to go on its own way. Time has come to shed chalta hai attitude. Public opinion can change the world, and why can’t we rise again to free our sports from dictators and corrupts? Please visit IOC’s official website (www.olympic.org) and register your views, may be as given below:

‘India is a rare country that has never boycotted the Olympics. Now, Indian sports is in danger due to mismanagement. We request IOC that there should be age and tenure restrictions to officials of Indian Sports Federation to reform management structure of Indian sports. The International Olympic Committee itself follows age and tenure. why not India follow your own rule? We request IOC to bring pressure on IOA to bring this change in the interest of Indian sports, and encourage the democratic government of India to implement its guidelines in this respect. Indian Olympic Association will never reform itself on its own, it is our experience. Therefore, we look forward to IOC’s co-operation to realize true sporting potential of this oldest ally of Olympic Movement.

The following is the decision of IOC with respect to India after it had its Executive Meeting on 13th January 2010.

‘
As discussed and agreed during a meeting between the IOC, the NOC of India and representatives of the government of India which took place on 18 June 2010 in Lausanne, it was recalled that:

(i) On the one hand, the NOC will convene a General Assembly to consider and adopt the new NOC Draft Constitution that was revised together with the IOC in line with the Olympic Charter and with a view to improving the governance of the NOC; and

(ii) On the other hand, the government of India must fully respect the autonomy of the NOC and the Olympic Movement in India in accordance with the Olympic Charter.

After careful analysis of the situation, the IOC Executive Board noted that a number of points have still to be resolved. Consequently, if the situation does not evolve positively, the IOC Executive Board will consider taking appropriate measures and actions which might seriously affect the representation and participation of India at the Olympic Games and forthcoming international sports events’.

It is apparent from the above that both the NOC, that is, Indian Olympic Association and Government of India meaning Ministry of Youth Affairs of Sports, have to fulfill some of the points agreed in the June last year meeting.

IOC has asked IOA to revise its constitution so that only Olympic Sports Federations will have vote, as against double the number of Federations now, and also only the Federation Presidents will cast the vote.

The IOA is on record that it will convene its AGM during the National Games (read in Ranchi next month) and do the needful.

Now the other issue pertains to Govt., that is, its age and tenure aspects in its Guidelines which is approved by the Courts of the land.

IOC itself has age and tenure stipulations, which the Ministry followed as it is. Now the IOC claims it is upto the Nationals federations to follow or not it cannot be imposed on them.

We don’t agree on this. We strongly feel government of India is correct in weeding out old age buffoons and restricting others tenure to 12 years.

If we toe the line of IOC, what we will have again is Randhir Singh continuing in the IOA for 7th tenure as Secretary General and Vidhya Stokes bouncing back as President of Hockey India.

The case is same with many other Sports Federations in India.

Therefore it is duty of every sport loving citizen of this country to raise their voice against the IOC’s peculiar decision of negative a Government order which is nothing but the IOC’s own adopted guidelines.

IOC restricts age and tenure of its official bearers, and why not this for India.

We request all visitors of this site to go to the IOC website and place their view, vis-à-vis, necessity of age and tenure restriction of Sports Federations in India.

Note: The above official decision only says … ‘might seriously affect the representation and participation of India at the Olympic Games and forthcoming international sports events’. Therefore, it is not correct for popular media to say IOC will ban India from 2010 Olympics. This sort of hype will only help vested interests. IOC has not taken any major decision, it is time for sports lovers to speak and count.