IOA defers its Executive Council meeting

The IOC, in its January 14 letter addressed to V K Malhotra, who was the acting IOA chief before the controversy-marred December 5 elections, had warned the NSFs not to associate with the current office bearers, led by Abhay Singh Chautala whom the world body described as "illegitimate individuals".

The IOC had said it would ask international federations to take action against such NSFs.

One of the joint secretaries elected in the December 5 polls, Rakesh Gupta said that the meeting has been deferred in the wake of the IOC letter.

"The Executive Council meeting has been deferred in view of the IOC letter and no date has been fixed," Gupta said.

The IOC, in its letter, had also proposed a meeting with the IOA, led by Malhotra, and a government representative while also maintaining that the lifting of the ban on India would be considered only after the elections are held solely under the Olympic Charter.

The deferment of the Executive Council meeting could be seen as a climbdown for Chautala-led officials as they were adamant to go ahead with it despite IOC's stern warning not to discharge any official function. The IOC does not recognise the December 5 polls which had elected the current office bearers. MORE