Haryana assembly condemns Chautala, seeks sports code

The Haryana assembly Wednesday condemned suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Abhay Singh Chautala for not paving the way for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to allow India back into the Olympic fold.

The assembly passed a resolution condemning Chautala and other tainted office bearers of the suspended IOA "for causing incalculable damage to the career of sportspersons, sports bodies and the Olympic movement".

This is the first ever time that a state assembly has passed a resolution, specifically condemning a sports administrator or an official of a sports organisation.

The assembly asked the union ministry of sports and youth affairs to implement the 'Model Sports Code' to pave the way for India's participation in all international events.

Haryana Parliamentary Affairs Minister Randeep Singh Surjewala moved the resolution and urged the sports ministry "to secure the future of our sportspersons and ensure a fair, just, equitable and morally appropriate sports administration in India".

The IOC executive board, during its meeting Sep 4-5 in Buenos Aires, decided the ban on IOA would continue if it did not change its constitution to keep out charge-sheeted individuals.

The IOA, during its special general meeting Aug 25 here, refused to incorporate the contentious IOC-proposed clause barring charge-sheeted individuals from holding any post and suggested an alternative that would affect only convicted officials.

The resolution adopted by the assembly said the talent of sportspersons was being compromised due to the attitude of a few individuals who were running sports bodies.

"These self-serving administrators have put a question mark on the career of players by converting sports federations/bodies into their personal fiefdoms. ... Their only purpose is to keep occupying their position in the federations," the resolution said.

It pointed out that sportspersons from Haryana, particularly wrestlers, boxers, shooters, hockey and cricket players, javelin throwers have brought laurels to the country.

"Nov 25, 2012, a group of tainted sports administrators bulldozed the election of Abhay Singh Chautala as president of IOA. This was done despite the fact that Chautala stood charge-sheeted under Section 13 (1) & (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, by a Special CBI court in New Delhi and there were prohibitory orders passed by the IOC for not holding such meeting till appropriate amendments on ethics and suitability had been carried out in the IOA constitution," the resolution said, leading to the suspension of India from the Olympic movement.