The Union Sports Ministry has written to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to state that the constitutional amendments, carried out at its General Assembly meeting at Ranchi, appeared to have diluted the entire reform process that was assured to the Government by the IOA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at a meeting in Lausanne last June.
Though more than a month has elapsed since the ministry wrote the letter to the IOA seeking its comments, there has been no response from the IOA. Interestingly, within six days of amending the constitution on February 12 last, the IOA managed to get the approval of the IOC for the amended version.
The IOC, which in the first place had asked the IOA to bring in changes in the constitution to fall in line with the Olympic Charter, eventually explained that a National Olympic Committee (NOC) was free to take decisions it deemed appropriate according to the “specificities” of the country.
Main argument
The main IOC argument last July centred round the voting rights for State Olympic associations. The IOC wanted only the National Sports Federations (NSFs), the IOC members, if any, and Athletes Commission representatives to have voting rights.
After having seemingly agreed to bring in changes to suit the IOC diktat, the IOA took a somersault at Ranchi, diluting the amendments and allowing almost everything to stand in the composition of the General Assembly bar a change in the voting format apart from allowing Athletes Commission representatives to have voting rights.
