Indian Olympic Association – IOA Election– India could face a possible suspension in the upcoming Olympics if they fail to hold elections. The elections of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) are due since December 2021 due tom outside interference and multiple court battles. Follow All Sports LIVE Updates and Scores on InsideSport.IN.
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have jointly flagged the issue of autonomy and violation of the Olympic charter.
- The IOA elections haven’t taken place after the previous term expired
- India have been previously warned as well by the IOC
Indian Olympic Association: International Olympic Committee warns India, ‘conduct election for IOA or face suspension’: Follow LIVE UPDATES
IOC to ban IOA?
The IOC hasn’t seat back and have reacted to the unstable situation in the IOA with the 2024 Olympic preparations already underway, “The IOC and the OCA have been following, with great concern, the latest developments affecting the IOA.
“It is very unfortunate to note that multiple legal proceedings have been initiated, which have only caused delays and created unnecessary complications so far, while the IOA should have addressed and solved these institutional issues internally, as per our recommendations and the usual approach that prevails within the Olympic movement,” read the letter, jointly signed by James Macleod, IOC’s director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC relations.
Illegal appointments
In January Narinder Batra had appointed RK Anand as chef de mission for the Birmingham CWG. Bhupender Singh Bajwa, Wushu Association of India president, was named chef de mission for the Asian Games in China. Ajay Kumar Singhania (secretary-general, Badminton Association of India).
Hariom Kaushik (executive board member, Netball Federation of India), Gurudatta Bhakta (secretary-general, Goa Olympic Association and EC member, Judo Federation of India) and Swapan Banerjee (president, Bengal Olympics Association and Hockey Bengal) were named deputy chefs de mission for Asian Games.
All these appointments were sighted to be illegal and challenged in the court.
Indian Olympic Association: International Olympic Committee warns India, ‘conduct election for IOA or face suspension’: Follow LIVE UPDATES
Huge consequences for Indian Olympic Sports
The letter further read, “Consequently, we urge you to convene a meeting of the IOA EC, followed by an extraordinary/special meeting of the IOA General Assembly, to review and solve this situation once and for all and confirm the date of the IOA quadrennial elections without any further delay, in accordance with the Olympic charter and the IOA constitution currently in force and approved by the IOC.
“Should the IOA fail to fulfil its obligations and be unable to organise its elections properly within the coming weeks, the IOC will, unfortunately, have no other option but to consider appropriate protective measures vis à vis the IOA, including a suspension, until the IOA can operate as normal and hold its elections.”
IOC’s missive came four days after Narinder Batra resigned from his positions as the president of the IOA and the International Hockey Federation (FIH), as well as the member of the IOC, following the rejection of his appeal to reinstate him as the chief of the IOA by the two-judge bench of the Delhi High Court. Batra’s IOC membership was linked to his IOA presidency.
It’s to be noted that IOA elections to the new EC were due on December 14, 2021.
The situation at the IOA now has to be quickly resolved or the IOA could face a possible ban with the future of thousands of athletes in limbo.
Indian Olympic Association: International Olympic Committee warns India, ‘conduct election for IOA or face suspension’: Follow LIVE UPDATES
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