HOA mess: Groups trade charges

 

Chandigarh, December 16

A day after Haryana missed the deadline to send a list of teams and players for the 35th National Games in Kerala, the two warring faction traded charges and spiked up the contentious issue with a heavy dose of politics.

Abhay Chautala, president of one faction of the Haryana Olympic Association (HOA), blasted the state government for not resolving the dispute. “Instead of solving this long-pending dispute the state government is trying to foist a new association in the state and complicate the existing matter,” Abhay told reporters in Rohtak on Tuesday. PV Rathi, the president of other group, reiterated his resolve to carry on the fight in the courts no matter what. “They can say whatever they want to but they cannot do anything. The High Court has restrained them till January 20.”

Interestingly, the Chautala group’s claim that the matter would be taken up in the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) executive committee meeting on December 19 was rebutted by IOA secretary general Rajiv Mehta. “There is no such thing to be discussed in the meeting,” he told The Tribune.

In some of the disciplines selection trials have already been conducted and the list of selected players has been sent to both groups of HOA. An official of the Chautala-led group said, “The Rathi group is under a  wrong impression. We have been approached by many people who are considered close to him.”

Meanwhile, resentment and confusion is growing among players and coaches as they are not sure which group will confirm their participation in the National Games.