IOA calls for GBM Dec 8

Faced with threat of de-recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Saturday called its General Body Meeting (GBM) Dec 8 to amend the constitution to keep out charge-sheeted officials from running for office.

S Reghunathan, who has been chaired the last two Special GBMs in the absence of V.K.Malhotra, who is recognised by the IOC as the acting president of the IOA, told IANS that the GBM will be held Dec 8 as instructed by the IOC.

The IOC in a letter dated Nov 15 had set Nov 23 as the deadline for the IOA to announce the dates of the GBM.

Malhotra was against holding the GBM in December and had also written to the IOC to postpone the GBM by a month keeping in mind the Assembly elections in Delhi.

Reghunathan told IANS that they are against postponement and want to have the GBM at the earliest as asked by the IOC.

"The GBM will be held on Dec 8. But if the IOC wants to postpone the meeting as requested by Mr.Malhotra the we will host a Special General Meeting," said Reghunathan.

The IOC has given a Dec 9 deadline to the IOA to amend its constitution, failing which it would be replaced by an adhoc committee. The IOC had threatened that if the IOA fails to meet the deadline then the IOC executive board that meets in Lausanne, Dec 10 or 11, will recommend to the IOC Council, set to meet in February, to withdraw the recognition of the IOA and replace it with an adhoc body.

The IOC has asked the IOA to amend it constitution by adding a clause that will prevent members, who have charges of serious nature against them, from running for the IOA elections and will be provisionally suspended from the IOA until a final ruling is made.

The IOA, during its Special General Meeting here last month, refused to incorporate the contentious IOC-proposed clause that would have barred charge-sheeted individuals from holding any post and suggested an alternative that would affect only convicted officials.

Reghunathan said a final decision will be taken with the majority of the house.

"In the first SGM we made some suggestions to the IOC. First it looked that they would agree to it but later an individual provoked them and the completely rejected the amendments. Now we will have to go by what would be best for the IOA," he said.

The IOC suspended the IOA Dec 5 last year due to government interference in its functioning and the involvement of corrupt officials in the election process. Since then, the country's athletes have been barred from competing in international meets under the Indian flag.