NEW DELHI: The executive council of Indian Olympic Association, by a majority ruling, has moved the venue of the IOA’s annual general meeting next month from Chennai to the capital, a move that was strongly resisted by the national body’s serving president Narayana Ramachandran.
Elections to lead the national body are expected to be held at the AGM. International Hockey Federation president Narinder Batra is planning to stand against Ramachandran.
The emergent EC meeting, which was called by IOA secretary general Rajiv Mehta, passed a resolution turning down Ramachandran’s decision to hold the AGM and elections in Chennai.
Ramachandran did not attend the meeting and in his absence senior vice-president Virendra Nanavati of the Swimming Federation of India chaired the proceedings, which was attended by 21 of the 27 EC members.
The decision to move the AGM venue is now expected to be ratified by the EC at another meeting on Thursday (November 9) – at which Ramanchandran is expected to attend.
Though Ramachandran boycotted the EC meeting, it was not without drama as former IOA president Abhay Singh Chautala tried to gate crash the proceedings though he wasn’t invited to attend.
He, however, had to beat a hasty retreat after some members objected to his presence.
