IOC, OCA reject sports ministry guidelines

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) have written a joint letter re-iterating their stand on the ongoing fracas between the sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) over recent guidelines stipulating restrictions on tenures of officials.

But the latest communication goes a step further in warning that the case could be reported during the next IOC executive board meeting in June as the IOC and the OCA have already clarified their stance on the subject based on the Olympic Charter and that the 2 bodies were against any imposition even for future elections.

The communication is in reference to a letter dated May 12 by Injeti Srinivas, joint secretary of sports, in which clarification was sought on the objections to the guidelines proposed by the ministry in response to a Delhi High Court direction in an ongoing PIL.

The letter, signed by the IOC’s NOC Relations Director Pere Miro and the OCA’s Director General-cum-Technical Director Husain Al-Musallam, is addressed to MS Gill and Suresh Kalmadi with copies to other top officials including the IOC president Jacques Rogge.

The letter goes on to quote Rule 28.9: “Apart from the measures and sanctions provided in the case of infringement of the Olympic Charter, the IOC Executive Board may take any appropriate decisions for the protection of the Olympic Movement in the country of an NOC, including suspension of or withdrawal of recognition from such NOC if the constitution, law or other regulations in force in the country concerned, or any act by any government or other body causes the activity of the NOC or the making or expression of its will to be hampered.” It then asks for an amicable solution to ensure the autonomy of the Olympic Movement and respect for Olympic Charter.

The guidelines laid down by the government put a cap of a maximum of 12 years for presidents of all sports bodies, including the IOA. It also restricts the tenures of secretaries and treasurers to a maximum of two terms of four years each and fixes a retirement age of 70.

The sports ministry says it has studied the constitution of various international bodies, including that of the IOC, before deciding on the caps. However, the IOC and international sports federations do not recommend any restrictions on affiliated bodies.