NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will meet at a special general body meeting on November 29 to “discuss and interpret” the eligibility criteria for election to the post of president and secretary general, ahead of the December 14 polls to elect the new office bearers of the IOA.
With N Ramachandran announcing that he will not seek a second term as president, International Hockey Federation president Narinder Batra is now being considered a favourite to become the new head of the IOA.
November 29 has been set as the last date for filing nominations. Current IOA treasurer and former All India Tennis Association (AITA) chief Anil Khanna is also in the fray for the post of president.
At an emergency meeting of the council here on November 7, called by the organisation’s secretary general Rajeev Mehta, a decision to disband the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, run by former president Abhay Singh Chautala, was also taken, thus deeming the Boxing Federation of India the only legal body permitted to run the sport in the country.
Ramachandran, who has now confirmed he would not contest a second term as IOA president, has said the decision was due to him being required to step down next year, when he reaches the maximum age limit of 70.
“I was elected to do a job and wanted to ensure that IOA delivers,” Ramachandran told the Times of India. “IOA was serving a ban but it was lifted within two days after I took over, there were too many disputes and allegations against IOA.
“I think all those were not factually correct but we couldn’t do anything about it. It was important to restore the credibility of the IOA and I took some tough decisions to resolve the matter. There were plenty of objections but I didn’t listen to anybody, tough decisions were a must and I took those for the best interest of the IOA and I am paying a price for that today,” he said.
Mehta said that the SGM has not been called to amend the clause relating to the eligibility criteria for the post of president and secretary general but to bring clarity on the issue. “We should remember that when the IOA elections were held in February 2014 under the guidance of the IOC, the members of executive councils of 2008-12 and 2012-14 were allowed to contest elections and so this time also those in the executive councils of 2012-14 and 2014-17 would be allowed to contest elections (for president and secretary general),” Mehta told PTI.
