IOA to Take Call on Approaching SC After Discussing HC Order in Detail

The Indian Olympic Association on Tuesday said it will discuss in detail the Delhi High Court’s directive to put the country’s apex sports body under a three-member Committee of Administrators before arriving at a decision to approach the Supreme Court.

The IOA officials are expected to meet on Wednesday.

The Delhi High Court directed the setting up of a three-member CoA to take over the affairs of the IOA, saying its “persistent recalcitrance” to comply with the Sports Code made it imperative that its affairs be put in the hands of the committee.

“The IOA members will discuss the High Court judgement in detail and will decide whether to go for an appeal in the Supreme Court,” IOA secretary general Rejeev Mehta said.

The CoA comprises former Supreme Court judge Justice Anil R Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner Dr S Y Quraishi, and former Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup.

The court directed the executive committee of IOA to forthwith hand over the charge to the newly appointed committee and said that the members of the CoA will be assisted by three eminent sportspersons, namely, Olympic medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, and archer Bombayla Devi Laishram.

The development comes on a day when the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was banned by the sport’s world body FIFA for “third party interference”.

In December 2012, the IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for more than a year due to the presence of tainted officials and government interference.

Following the latest development, another IOC ban looms large over the IOA.

Last month only the IOC had threatened to suspend the IOA if it fails to conduct its elections at the earliest.

The IOA elections were due in December last year but could not be held as per schedule due to amendments in the Constitution.

The IOC had urged the IOA to convene a meeting of its General Assembly and confirm the date of its elections without any delay.

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