IOA continues to defy IOC on chargesheet clause

The suspended Indian Olympic Association continued to be in a defiant mood despite the IOC's tough stand on the chargesheet clause, saying Indian law would prevail on these matters and the world body cannot force these provisions upon it.

"We can't go beyond the law of our land. We will make our constitution according to the law of the land. We have clearly told the two-member IOC delegation that we can't go beyond the law of the land," said the suspended IOA's president Abhay Singh Chautala.

India's wait to get back to Olympic fold was delayed further after the IOC stuck to its stand on the chargesheet clause, clearly stating that the IOA has to adopt it in order to ensure good governance.

The IOC stood firm on its stand during its Executive Board (EB) meeting in Buenos Aires yesterday ahead of the 125th IOC Session and asked IOA to accept all demands in full, including barring chargesheeted persons from contesting IOA's elections.

In its Special General Body Meeting last month, the IOA had proposed a compromise formula, wherein the sanction will apply only to those officials who are convicted and sentenced to a jail term of more than two years.

Chautala trained his guns on IOC's representative in the country, Randhir Singh and held him responsible for the current mess.

"Randhir has destroyed Indian sports. He himself was the secretary general of IOA for 25 years but during his 25-year-long tenure, he was not being able to produce a single sportperson who has made India proud. He himself was an Olympian but failed to produce Olympians. He just enjoyed his position, went on foreign tours and destroyed IOA's money," Chautala alleged.

"Ask him whether he is with the law of the land or with the IOC?" Chautala asked.