With the ever-so-long tenures of IOA and National Sports Federations office bearers inviting innumerable Public Interest Litigations in courts, a concerned Sports Ministry today said it is reviewing the matter.
The government's guidelines for the Indian Olympic Association and the NSFs prescribe that office bearers' term should not exceed eight years but these guidelines have been kept in “abeyance since October 2001”.
Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr M S Gill said the ministry was keeping track of the various court cases in which the long tenures have been challenged and is concerned about the development.
ADVERTISEMENT
“In addition to these cases, issues concerning mismanagement of NSFs, including flagrant violation of the tenure restrictions, have been raised,” he said.
“In view of the above developments, the government is seized of the concerns raised from various quarters, on the tenure issue and is in the process of reviewing the whole matter in consultation with all stakeholders, including sports bodies,” he added.
Suresh Kalmadi has been IOA President for over 15 years and several other administrators have hung on to their posts for very long tenures in NSFs also.
ADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry also announced that as many as 8122 athletes and 2577 officials are expected for this year's Commonwealth Games in the national capital.
Australia is expected to send the largest delegation, comprising 641 athletes and 214 officials.