Chandigarh Olympics Association calls executive committee meet on May 11

Tribune News Service

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, May 7

Six months after taking over the Chandigarh Olympics Association (COA), a “self-proclaimed” group in power has called for the first all-member executive committee meeting on May 11.

The meeting will be held at Sector 21, and main agendas to be discussed include modalities of conducting the 2nd Chandigarh State Olympic Games and to demand allotment of land for COA office.

Though, it will be not for the first time that a COA body will discuss conducting the State Olympic Games. It’s worth mentioning that the last games were organised in October 2005, followed by a sponsored event called “Mini Olympics” in 2012. Since then, the COA functioning is mars with politics of gaining power and accusing the office bearers (who were once arms-in-arms) of committing the wrong doings for their personal welfare.

Meanwhile, during the meeting various others agendas including, amendment of the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of the COA as per provisions of National Sports Development Code of India, 2011; appointment of standing counsels in district courts and high court; opening of new bank account; consider and approve of the report of affiliation and disaffiliation committee; decide the issue of multiple membership of certain office bearers of state sports associations of Chandigarh, in contravention of Rule 27.3 of the Rules and Regulations of Indian Olympic Association; consider and approve the modalities of celebrating of the International Olympic Day on June 23, 2024 and other matters with the permission of the chair, will be discussed.

After initiating the process of debarring certain sports associations (which supported the current group to come in group) last month, the executive committee is likely to approve an action against the accused associations. Notably, the COA found discrepancies in these accused associations only after coming to power.

Also, the matter of opening a new bank account is likely to get an approval. It will be interesting to see, what will be done with the old account of the COA, which is located at a Sector 8-based bank. The old account is also on the name of the COA and is said to be still active under the authority of the former office bearers.

During the 2023 Goa National Games, the teams were asked to make financial arrangements on their own on the promise of reimbursement. The teams were issued kits in a ceremony attended by top UT Administration officials, at Mani Majra Sports Complex. The Sports Department has also stopped the COA grant as they failed to submit utilization certificate of previously received grants. Though it’s an old practice, the executive committee will also take a call on office bearers multiple memberships of office bearers.

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