News Analysis India

Tag: Indian Olympic Association

  • Revised constitution may herald a whole new era for Indian Olympic Association

    Express News Service

    CHENNAI: THE Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constitution is expected to incorporate sweeping reforms in line with the Delhi High Court’s August 16 order. This will lead to a massive change in the IOA structure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed with most of the points during its multi-party meeting in Lausanne on September 27. Going by the summary report issued by the IOC, it has chalked out a roadmap which seems agreeable to all parties.

    However, the election process needs to get over by the next IOC Executive Board meeting on December 5-7. That means the date suggested by L Nageswara Rao in his notice for the meeting recently would need to be modified. “The whole process (including the elections) will have to be completed prior to the IOC EB meeting in December 2022,” said the IOC summary report.

    Rao’s letter had said, “To prepare a road map for the amendment of the IOA Constitution and for the conduct of the IOA elections so that the entire process is completed at best, by 15 December 2022.”Though the IOC said most of the points suggested by the Delhi HC are “agreeable”, it raised objections to two points. 2/3 majority for re-election and appointment of 25 per cent of sportspersons as voting members, which is somewhat similar to what the international football federation (FIFA) had concerns about. As a first step, “the IOA Constitution will be amended to include the necessary governance reforms”.

    The IOC has said that “the IOC/OCA will work together with the judge appointed by the Supreme Court of India on the draft revised Constitution”.

    “In principle, most of the points raised by the High Court of Delhi in its decision dated 16 August 2022 are agreeable for the IOC/OCA and compatible with the Olympic Charter and the basic principles of good governance of the Olympic Movement,” said the report. “(E)xcept:the 2/3 majority required for a re-election (a simple majority, i.e. more than 50% of the votes validly cast, should be sufficient, like in any election process); and the appointment of 25% “sportspersons” as voting members within the IOA General Assembly and Executive Committee (which should be refined and the mechanism of which should be re-discussed to make it workable and in line with the basic requirements relating to the membership of any NOC, as per the Olympic Charter, and with the usual standards within the Olympic Movement).”

    The IOC said that it would propose “additional elements (such as changing the position of elected Secretary General into an appointed position, so that the Secretary General would serve as a CEO appointed/hired by the Executive Committee, and including an independent ethics commission, a properly functioning athletes commission as per the IOC guidelines and safeguarding practices).”

    The IOC has said that the final draft must be formally approved by the IOA general assembly. The Delhi High Court had asked IOA to incorporate 13 points suggested by petitioner and senior advocate Rahul Mehra in its constitution.

    There have been quite a few sticky points like State Olympic Associations can be members without voting rights. The court had also said that only Olympic sport NSFs will have voting rights in the IOA constitutions.

    The court had agreed with the petitioner that age and tenure limits should be applied to all members of the EC and (as per the sports code) not only to the president, secretary and treasurer as well as to everyone in the General Assembly. The court has asked the IOA to reduce the size of the Executive Council to 15 from 30.

    It needs to be seen how things will pan out for old members of the IOA. If the restrictive clause is removed, more candidates can contest elections. 

    CHENNAI: THE Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constitution is expected to incorporate sweeping reforms in line with the Delhi High Court’s August 16 order. This will lead to a massive change in the IOA structure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has agreed with most of the points during its multi-party meeting in Lausanne on September 27. Going by the summary report issued by the IOC, it has chalked out a roadmap which seems agreeable to all parties.

    However, the election process needs to get over by the next IOC Executive Board meeting on December 5-7. That means the date suggested by L Nageswara Rao in his notice for the meeting recently would need to be modified. “The whole process (including the elections) will have to be completed prior to the IOC EB meeting in December 2022,” said the IOC summary report.

    Rao’s letter had said, “To prepare a road map for the amendment of the IOA Constitution and for the conduct of the IOA elections so that the entire process is completed at best, by 15 December 2022.”
    Though the IOC said most of the points suggested by the Delhi HC are “agreeable”, it raised objections to two points. 2/3 majority for re-election and appointment of 25 per cent of sportspersons as voting members, which is somewhat similar to what the international football federation (FIFA) had concerns about. As a first step, “the IOA Constitution will be amended to include the necessary governance reforms”.

    The IOC has said that “the IOC/OCA will work together with the judge appointed by the Supreme Court of India on the draft revised Constitution”.

    “In principle, most of the points raised by the High Court of Delhi in its decision dated 16 August 2022 are agreeable for the IOC/OCA and compatible with the Olympic Charter and the basic principles of good governance of the Olympic Movement,” said the report. “(E)xcept:the 2/3 majority required for a re-election (a simple majority, i.e. more than 50% of the votes validly cast, should be sufficient, like in any election process); and the appointment of 25% “sportspersons” as voting members within the IOA General Assembly and Executive Committee (which should be refined and the mechanism of which should be re-discussed to make it workable and in line with the basic requirements relating to the membership of any NOC, as per the Olympic Charter, and with the usual standards within the Olympic Movement).”

    The IOC said that it would propose “additional elements (such as changing the position of elected Secretary General into an appointed position, so that the Secretary General would serve as a CEO appointed/hired by the Executive Committee, and including an independent ethics commission, a properly functioning athletes commission as per the IOC guidelines and safeguarding practices).”

    The IOC has said that the final draft must be formally approved by the IOA general assembly. The Delhi High Court had asked IOA to incorporate 13 points suggested by petitioner and senior advocate Rahul Mehra in its constitution.

    There have been quite a few sticky points like State Olympic Associations can be members without voting rights. The court had also said that only Olympic sport NSFs will have voting rights in the IOA constitutions.

    The court had agreed with the petitioner that age and tenure limits should be applied to all members of the EC and (as per the sports code) not only to the president, secretary and treasurer as well as to everyone in the General Assembly. The court has asked the IOA to reduce the size of the Executive Council to 15 from 30.

    It needs to be seen how things will pan out for old members of the IOA. If the restrictive clause is removed, more candidates can contest elections. 

  • Sports ministry steps in as Khanna says ‘withdrawing’ contempt petition to resolve IOA issues amicably

    By Express News Service

    CHENNAI: The tussle for supremacy in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took a dramatic turn late on Thursday. To the chagrin of the IOA members, acting president Anil Khanna, who had earlier filed a contempt petition dated 31.08.2022 in the Delhi High Court against ‘IOA president’ Adille Sumariwalla and 18 executive council members who had supported him, withdrew the petition as he wants the matter to be settled amicably. He said since the government is making a serious effort to defuse the IOA situation he did not want to complicate the situation.

    “The government is making a serious effort to resolve the matter and I would want to extend my support,” Khanna told this newspaper on Thursday. “Though I do not agree with the group of people who went to court and the way they were trying to unsettle IOA, but for the larger interest I want to resolve the matter amicably. I want to bring peace in the IOA and in good spirit, I am withdrawing the contempt petition.”

    Khanna, in his petition, had said that Sumariwalla and others had gone against the order of the Delhi High Court that had agreed that he takes charge as the president after former chief Narinder Batra’s election was invalidated.

    “I want to bring peace in the IOA so that we can all come and work together to have election and resolve all matters in the IOA,” Khanna said. It is understood that there was a meeting of National Sports Federations and the sports ministry where some of the NSFs had raised the issue of the IOA mess. And later, it is learnt the ministry did not want to create more mess.

    He also said that members must be patient and that election will be held on or before December (court had given 16 weeks time). “Everyone needs to be patient and in any case, I am ineligible to contest election because I will be 70 years old,” he said.

    “Right now the priority is to host the National Games in Gujarat later this month successfully. Everyone will be watching us. If we host a successful Games, then we can bid for multi-discipline events like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.”

    Sumariwalla had earlier contested Khanna’s appointment saying his post under the IOA constitution did not exist and also he was not elected by the executive council either. Khanna had said he was there because of the court’s directive and would vacate if the court says so. “If Adille is president, let him be. If court wants me to continue I will,” he said.

    However, with a change of heart, things might change for the IOA, especially after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had warned that IOA could face suspension if they did not start the elections process as per the old constitution within the next few weeks through a letter dated July 20, 2022. With IOC monitoring every move in IOA, ministry had to step in and request the Supreme Court to not let Committee of Administrators (CoA) take charge of day-to-day functioning of the IOA, especially after FIFA suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF).

    The next IOC session is scheduled to be held in India in June next year. Any suspension of the IOA would mean India may not be able to host it. Also, this will lead to athletes not competing under the national flag in international events.

    CHENNAI: The tussle for supremacy in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took a dramatic turn late on Thursday. To the chagrin of the IOA members, acting president Anil Khanna, who had earlier filed a contempt petition dated 31.08.2022 in the Delhi High Court against ‘IOA president’ Adille Sumariwalla and 18 executive council members who had supported him, withdrew the petition as he wants the matter to be settled amicably. He said since the government is making a serious effort to defuse the IOA situation he did not want to complicate the situation.

    “The government is making a serious effort to resolve the matter and I would want to extend my support,” Khanna told this newspaper on Thursday. “Though I do not agree with the group of people who went to court and the way they were trying to unsettle IOA, but for the larger interest I want to resolve the matter amicably. I want to bring peace in the IOA and in good spirit, I am withdrawing the contempt petition.”

    Khanna, in his petition, had said that Sumariwalla and others had gone against the order of the Delhi High Court that had agreed that he takes charge as the president after former chief Narinder Batra’s election was invalidated.

    “I want to bring peace in the IOA so that we can all come and work together to have election and resolve all matters in the IOA,” Khanna said. It is understood that there was a meeting of National Sports Federations and the sports ministry where some of the NSFs had raised the issue of the IOA mess. And later, it is learnt the ministry did not want to create more mess.

    He also said that members must be patient and that election will be held on or before December (court had given 16 weeks time). “Everyone needs to be patient and in any case, I am ineligible to contest election because I will be 70 years old,” he said.

    “Right now the priority is to host the National Games in Gujarat later this month successfully. Everyone will be watching us. If we host a successful Games, then we can bid for multi-discipline events like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.”

    Sumariwalla had earlier contested Khanna’s appointment saying his post under the IOA constitution did not exist and also he was not elected by the executive council either. Khanna had said he was there because of the court’s directive and would vacate if the court says so. “If Adille is president, let him be. If court wants me to continue I will,” he said.

    However, with a change of heart, things might change for the IOA, especially after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had warned that IOA could face suspension if they did not start the elections process as per the old constitution within the next few weeks through a letter dated July 20, 2022. With IOC monitoring every move in IOA, ministry had to step in and request the Supreme Court to not let Committee of Administrators (CoA) take charge of day-to-day functioning of the IOA, especially after FIFA suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF).

    The next IOC session is scheduled to be held in India in June next year. Any suspension of the IOA would mean India may not be able to host it. Also, this will lead to athletes not competing under the national flag in international events.