Kalmadi, Chautala as IOA life presidents will dent India's image: Maken

Disapproving the Indian Olympic Association's decision to name Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Chautala as life time presidents, former sports minister Ajay Maken on Wednesday said this is not good for sports as well as India's image and asked incumbent Vijay Goel to initiate action to end this mess.

"The decision of IOA of making them life time presidents is not good for sports and for India's image. I don't understand as to what kind of message they want to portray by making them the life time presidents," Maken told the media here.

"When we talk about sports and emotions related to sports, it should be very pure. If they want to clean this mess then they have to rise above politics and do it," he added.

The Congress leader further said the countdown of bad days for Indian sports has begun post this irrational decision.

"I cannot believe that chargesheeted people are being made the presidents of IOA. How can anyone justify this? I am happy that the Sports Minister issued a strong statement on it. I would also request him to take action regarding this," he added.

Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to act on this matter, Maken said the IOA's decision must be reversed.

He appealed to all the politicians involved in the IOA to ensure that this decision is reversed and Indian sports remains clean.

"Cutting across party lines, this decision must be taken back. There is no reason that this cannot be solved, if the Sports Ministry wants they can do that. And if there is any PIL against this decision in the court than the Government of India must support it," he added.

The Sports Minister yesterday lashed out at the IOA for making tainted Kalmadi and Chautala as life presidents of the sports body.

Goel said the move was "totally unacceptable" as the duo was facing serious criminal and corruption charges.

The IOA during its annual general meeting named Kalmadi and Chautala as life time presidents.

Kalmadi, tainted by the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games corruption scandal, was also the former Athletics Federation of India president.

Chautala, headed Indian Olympic Association between 2012 and 2014, when it was suspended by the International Olympic Committee. The ban was lifted in February 2014.