Rarely does one get to see the motley crowd of Indian Olympic Association office bearers come together at one time. On Monday, they did, and for a cause - to rubbish whatever the sports ministry and sports minister M.S. Gill had come out with in the form of an order a day earlier. Sports ministry's latest directive is aimed at bringing some transparency and accountability into functioning of various sports federations in India. However, rarely in India does a good initiative goes down well with political class.
The packed press conference, held by the IOA, was one with a difference. The heavyweights were all there; from president Suresh Kalmadi to secretary Randhir Singh and lesser weights like Aslam Khan and Harish Sharma.
And there also was the man who has been at the helm of affairs of the Archery Association of India for over 30 years - VK Malhotra.
On Monday, it didn't matter if they came from different political parties. After a meeting of the IOA, they had come to face the media with rehearsed lines. "The sports ministry order is draconian," said one. Another seasoned official who has been at the helm of affairs in judo was even more caustic. Jagdish Tytler minced no words when he said that the sports minister was doing damage to the sports federations.
"The sports ministry has done bad service to sports. When all of us are working towards India winning medals at the Commonwealth Games, the ministry order is unconstitutional. The sports minister will have to take his words back," said Tytler.
At the start of the media briefing, Suresh Kalmadi harped on one line: Why the sports ministry had come out with such an order when the Commonwealth Games coordination commission meeting was on. "In fact, the COCOM expressed surprise when they read all the media reports today. We were very surprised to receive the letter from the sports ministry, the timing has amazed us. We have been preparing for the Commonwealth Games and it is just 150 days away. This decision is draconian and so the IOA decided to discuss the situation today," said Kalmadi.
"We are witnessing an assault on the autonomy of the IOA and sports federations. We have been transparent and even when the IOA was brought under the RTI act, we accepted it. All the sports federations have been submitting accounts to the ministry and CAG. All federations have held their nationals," said an angry Kalmadi. However, he failed to mention that the sports federation do not show any autonomy in its function and is subversive to policians at the helm. Nor did he mention that the outcome has been negligible and money has gone down the drain.
"Instead of the ministry encouraging the federations to work towards getting more medals, this is what we get to see. We will take appropriate steps and not let go of the autonomy. I have called an executive meeting of the IOA on May 18. In fact, the IOA has once again come together," said Kalmadi.
Just after his speech, Kalmadi let the other officials speak. But on this day, the IOA president and chairman of the Commonwealth Games organising committee was nervous. As others spoke, he kept fidgeting with his ring. This was unusual for a man who has been in the eye of a storm so often.
The remarks from IOA secretary general Randhir were more subdued. "The order of the government has been sent to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It infringes on the working of the IOA,"said Randhir, who is also a member of the IOC and secretary general of the OCA. KP Singh Deo, another seasoned politician and office bearer of the IOA, spoke out as well.
"We are all recognised by various international sports federations.
It is strange that we have been pulled up so many times and have been at the receiving end. I am surprised how this was not discussed in the Parliament,"he said.
Anil Khanna, who is an office bearer in the All India Tennis Association, runs the Asian Tennis Federation and is also a member of the International Tennis Federation, lashed out at the ministry. "The national federations are affiliated to the international federations based on their rules. The international federation will only recognise entries sent by the local federation and the future of youngsters cannot be compromised.
"This is extremely unfair and in case the federation decides not to take grants from the ministry, it is still the duty of the government to support youngsters. This is the most inappropriate time for the sports ministry to come out with such a decision during the COCOM," said Khanna.
Some more spoke on how Gill is himself over 70 and should not be setting age limits for officebearers.
But then, there was V.K. Verma, who represents the Badminton Association of India. He criticised the sports ministry for not allowing shuttle import and said how the ministry was ignorant.
"The international badminton federation has no limit on the number of terms an officer bearer can be in office," he said sarcastically.
As the time came for the media to get interactive, there was a quick announcement. "No questions please." The IOA and sports federation would do well to explain their stance and justify the performance.
The packed press conference, held by the IOA, was one with a difference. The heavyweights were all there; from president Suresh Kalmadi to secretary Randhir Singh and lesser weights like Aslam Khan and Harish Sharma.
And there also was the man who has been at the helm of affairs of the Archery Association of India for over 30 years - VK Malhotra.
On Monday, it didn't matter if they came from different political parties. After a meeting of the IOA, they had come to face the media with rehearsed lines. "The sports ministry order is draconian," said one. Another seasoned official who has been at the helm of affairs in judo was even more caustic. Jagdish Tytler minced no words when he said that the sports minister was doing damage to the sports federations.
"The sports ministry has done bad service to sports. When all of us are working towards India winning medals at the Commonwealth Games, the ministry order is unconstitutional. The sports minister will have to take his words back," said Tytler.
At the start of the media briefing, Suresh Kalmadi harped on one line: Why the sports ministry had come out with such an order when the Commonwealth Games coordination commission meeting was on. "In fact, the COCOM expressed surprise when they read all the media reports today. We were very surprised to receive the letter from the sports ministry, the timing has amazed us. We have been preparing for the Commonwealth Games and it is just 150 days away. This decision is draconian and so the IOA decided to discuss the situation today," said Kalmadi.
"We are witnessing an assault on the autonomy of the IOA and sports federations. We have been transparent and even when the IOA was brought under the RTI act, we accepted it. All the sports federations have been submitting accounts to the ministry and CAG. All federations have held their nationals," said an angry Kalmadi. However, he failed to mention that the sports federation do not show any autonomy in its function and is subversive to policians at the helm. Nor did he mention that the outcome has been negligible and money has gone down the drain.
"Instead of the ministry encouraging the federations to work towards getting more medals, this is what we get to see. We will take appropriate steps and not let go of the autonomy. I have called an executive meeting of the IOA on May 18. In fact, the IOA has once again come together," said Kalmadi.
Just after his speech, Kalmadi let the other officials speak. But on this day, the IOA president and chairman of the Commonwealth Games organising committee was nervous. As others spoke, he kept fidgeting with his ring. This was unusual for a man who has been in the eye of a storm so often.
The remarks from IOA secretary general Randhir were more subdued. "The order of the government has been sent to the International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). It infringes on the working of the IOA,"said Randhir, who is also a member of the IOC and secretary general of the OCA. KP Singh Deo, another seasoned politician and office bearer of the IOA, spoke out as well.
"We are all recognised by various international sports federations.
It is strange that we have been pulled up so many times and have been at the receiving end. I am surprised how this was not discussed in the Parliament,"he said.
Anil Khanna, who is an office bearer in the All India Tennis Association, runs the Asian Tennis Federation and is also a member of the International Tennis Federation, lashed out at the ministry. "The national federations are affiliated to the international federations based on their rules. The international federation will only recognise entries sent by the local federation and the future of youngsters cannot be compromised.
"This is extremely unfair and in case the federation decides not to take grants from the ministry, it is still the duty of the government to support youngsters. This is the most inappropriate time for the sports ministry to come out with such a decision during the COCOM," said Khanna.
Some more spoke on how Gill is himself over 70 and should not be setting age limits for officebearers.
But then, there was V.K. Verma, who represents the Badminton Association of India. He criticised the sports ministry for not allowing shuttle import and said how the ministry was ignorant.
"The international badminton federation has no limit on the number of terms an officer bearer can be in office," he said sarcastically.
As the time came for the media to get interactive, there was a quick announcement. "No questions please." The IOA and sports federation would do well to explain their stance and justify the performance.
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