Clean Sports India, a movement for corruption-free sports in the country, has objected to CWG scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi chairing Asian Athletics Association Executive Council meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, saying the move would violate International Olympic Committee’s directives.
“I am shocked to read reports that Kalmadi will chair a meeting Asian Athletics Association in Delhi on Republic Day,” said CSI president Ashwhini Nachappa in a release.
Nachappa took exception to AAA secretary Maurice Nicholas’ reported comments that he did not know about the Commonwealth Games scam.
“It is surprising despite detailed letters from Cleans Sports India to IAAF and AAA dated 9th July 2011 highlighting that Mr Lalit Bhanot and Mr Suresh Kalmadi who controlled Indian athletics for last three decades and are in jail facing trail for serious corruption charges in organising the Commonwealth Games AAA Secretary General Maurice Nicholas claiming that,” Nachappa said.
“The IOC’s Ethic commission recommendations of suspending the three tainted officials (Kalmadi, Bhanot and Verma) was also communicated to IAAF and AAA. It is surprising that the Secretary of AAA Mr Nicholas ... saying he is unaware of the CWG scam,” she added.
CSI Convener Reeth Abraham said that her organisation will take up the matter with the IOC.
“This clearly shows IAAF is clearly violating the directions of IOC. We will take up with IOC,” said Abraham.
The CSI said that Kalmadi and his close-aide during the CWG, Lalit Bhanot, continued to call the shots in Indian athletics despite not occupying any official position.
“... Kalmadi to chair AAA meeting proves the fact that Lalit Bhanot and Suresh Kalmadi continues to run the affairs of Athletics Federation of India. Recent elections of AFI marred with controversies, now headed by Adille Sumariwalla, have no role to play in affairs of federations as the shots are still called by the tainted officials and the suspended member of the current IOA.”
