NEW DELHI: With less than a month to go for the $1.75 million Indian Open, the sorry state of affairs within the Indian Golf Union, promoter of the the country’s richest and most prestigious golf tournament, has come under the scanner.
The Hero Indian Open, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours, is scheduled to run from March 28-31st at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon.
As the Times of India reports, the IGU has been dis-affiliated as a national sports federation by the Sports Ministry. Having already secured two extensions to set its house in order, the embattled body, wracked by in-fighting (the state bodies of West Bengal, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have filed cases against it alleging various irregularities), has sought yet another 60-day extension. Reason cited: the conduct of India’s most prestigious tournament is at stake.
Is it really? Not at all! The fact remains that it is title sponsor Hero MotoCorp that is underwriting the costs of running the tournament. And with host venue DLF Country Club pretty much having the template in place to deliver the show, the IGU’s role play is little more than ceremonial in real terms.
So what is one to make of the TOI report? The information on the legal and administrative problem the IGU is facing is spot on but the linkage to the Indian Open is likely another manifestation of the in-fighting within the organisation.
As for the part being played by MP & Silva in this mess. It needs noting that the one time leading international sports media company is in the process of being liquidated. But what is at issue here is a three-year commercial rights agreement that Seamus O’Brien, who was appointed president and group CEO of MP&S in January 2018, had signed with the IGU which was sealed after a $200,000 minimum guarantee was furnished.
For O’Brien, the Indian Open was not new territory. World Sport Group, which he founded (he sold his majority stake in the company to Lagardère Group in 2008), was the commercial rights holder of the Indian Open from 2006 to 2011.
With MP&S under liquidation, the agency has no interest (or capability) in continuing with the association, therefore the termination notice. Where that will end up obviously a matter that will entail legal wranglings but SportzPower has been informed that the Indian Open will go ahead on schedule as planned.
As for the IGU, what remains to be seen is whether the Sports Ministry buys into the latest time-buying manoeuvres of officials who have been mismanaging its affairs for too long now.
