Power struggle in IOA; members even defying IOC

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is locked in a power struggle, with some of the members revolting against the present office-bearers, led by president N Ramachandran and secretary general Rajeev Mehta. The dissenting voices have even defied orders of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has thrown its weight behind Ramachandran.

The revolting group is grumbling about the validity of the present IOA Executive Council, whose term, according to the group, had come to an end on December 31, 2016. According to the dissenters, Ramchandran & Co had been elected to serve the remainder of the two-year term after the tainted duo of Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot were removed from the IOA’s top posts to facilitate India’s return to the Olympic fold.

Some IOA members have been arguing that the fresh election notification should be issued. After its AGM on December 26, 2016, the IOA had decided to form a three-member committee to work out the election modalities and elect a new set of office-bearers. This after the AGM agreed to offer a three-month extension to Ramachandran and others till March 31, 2017, before the new election dates would be announced.

But, according to Ramchandran, he has the mandate from the IOC to continue as president till February 2018. According to his close aides, the IOC has been treating his presidency as a four-year term, starting from February 2014, when he was elected as the IOA’s top boss in the AGM. Similarly, Mehta has also gained the IOC’s letter of support for a four-year term.

However, the disgruntled members, led by IOA treasurer and former AITA president Anil Khanna, have refused to extend the tenure of the Executive Council beyond March 31.

In fact, Khanna recently wrote a letter to the 120-strong IOA members to apprise them of the whole situation, while demanding fresh elections. Khanna has informed the members that he wouldn’t be signing on any financial papers after March 31.