Delhi High Court appoints committee to run IOA

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 16

The Delhi High Court today appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the day-to-day affairs of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Saying that “compliance with the Sports Code is non-negotiable”, Justice Najmi Waziri and Justice Manmohan gave the temporary reins of the IOA to Justice (retired) Anil R Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi and former external affairs secretary Vikas Swarup.

The CoA has been entrusted to prepare the IOA’s new constitution as per the Sports Code and the court rulings, and prepare the electoral roll in order to hold fresh elections. The CoA is to be assisted by three sportspersons — former shooter Abhinav Bindra, former long jumper Anju Bobby George and archer L Bombayla Devi.

“If a sports federation does not comply with the law of the land, it will receive no recognition from the Government. All benefits and facilities to it will stop promptly. It is better that a legitimate body represents the cause of sportspersons than one simply masquerading as the real champion of Indian sports. Fairness and legitimacy needs to imbue all public affairs,” the order reads.

The court was hearing on the case filed by lawyer and activist Rahul Mehra, who had highlighted as many as 13 pitfalls in the working of the IOA. The order has summarily dismissed voting rights of the state Olympics associations and has directed that only the NSFs of the Olympics disciplines should have voting rights.

Mehra had raised objections to bar the IOA functionaries from contesting in the elections, besides wanting to get the age and tenure guidelines enforced on all the executive members. The court had earlier stayed the IOA election that was to be held in December last year in Guwahati.

FIH delegation to meet with CoA

New Delhi: A delegation from the international hockey federation (FIH) is in the capital to discuss the way forward and avert a possible suspension of Hockey India (HI), currently run by a Committee of Administrators (CoA). A two-member delegation, led by FIH’s newly-appointed acting president Seif Ahmed, arrived here on Monday for an emergency meeting to assess the progress made with regards to the adoption of a new constitution at HI. India is scheduled to host the men’s World Cup early next year. PTI

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