IOA seeks details from RFI over suspension of Dattu Bhokanal

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has asked the RFI to provide details with regard to the decision to suspend rower Dattu Bhokanal.

IOA president Narinder Dhruv Batra in his letter to Rowing Federation of India (RFI) president Rajlaxmi Singh Deo has stated that he wants an answer to the two questions.

In his first question, he has asked as to "which body or committee of RFI took the decision to suspend the athlete and minutes or details of that decision?"

In the second question, Batra asks as to under which "rule of RFI is it mentioned that punishment for such an office will be two years ban. Please share those rules?"

"Request please provide the details for this decision from the RFI side. Along with it, please, also provide the details of RFI Disciplinary Committee, which took this decision. The rules of RFI under which this action was taken against the athlete, which define the quantum of this punishment and the appeal mechanism for the athlete. Request, please, send your reply by or before January 20, 2020," the letter further says.

The RFI imposed a ban on Bhokanal on March 29 last year. However, the Olympian wrote a letter to the Athletes' Commission requesting them to reduce the period of the ban to enable him to qualify and compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Earlier, the RFI stated that the matter is now referred to the Athlete's Commission and the process of natural justice has been followed.

"The matter has now been referred to the RFI Athlete's Commission, which had originally dealt with the matter and their opinion is awaited. The process of natural justice has been followed in the matter by the EC of RFI, of which the RFI Athlete's Commission is an integral part with voting powers," read the RFI letter.

Rajlaxmi Singh, dismayed over Dattu Baban Bhokanal's letter to Athletes Commission over his ban, told ANI: "We are really really shocked that he has written directly to the Indian Olympic Association Athlete's Commission. He could have applied to RFI Athlete's Commission."

Rajlaxmi said that Bhokanal was banned as he admitted the charges of misconduct at the Executive Committee meeting.

"On two deeds of misconducts, we gave Bhokanal a showcase notice and at the Executive Committee meeting, he admitted to both charges of misconduct. So, we unanimously decided to ban him for two years," she added.

The Indian Olympic Association has written a letter to the RFI to share the rules of Bhokanal's suspension and the mechanisms of appeal for an athlete against such a ban.