The Hindu: Ramachandran and Batra sign peace deal

N. Ramachandran, president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Narinder Batra, associate vice-president, IOA, have decided to bury the hatchet and work for the common good of the National Olympic Association, said a statement from Ramachandran’s office.

They have agreed to withdraw all allegations, accusations, complaints, litigations made/instituted against each other, both individually and in official capacity, and will not pursue the same in the future.

Ramachandran has also agreed not to pursue his Rs. 10 crore defamation suit filed against Batra before the Madras High Court.

A memo of compromise, jointly-signed by Ramachandran and Batra and certified by their respective counsels, was filed in the Madras HC on Wednesday.

It is learnt that the Olympic Council of Asia and International Olympic Committee had put pressure on both the parties to settle their differences.

Good sign

“We are looking forward to a cordial working relationship,” Ramachandran told The Hindu.

Terming the compromise as a good sign, Batra said “we should be focussing more on sports than on other things.”

Batra has been nominated by Hockey India for the post of FIH president for which the elections will be held during the Hockey Revolution Part II Congress on November 12 in Dubai, while elections for IOA are due in 2018.