Sports Code should be approved by Parliament: Patel

All India Football Federation President, Praful Patel today said that the contentious Sports Code should ensure that National Federations were not pitted against their international parent bodies and it should be approved by Parliament if at all it has to be implemented. Patel said he could not imagine AIFF going against FIFA or AFC guidelines in the pretext of adhering to Sports Code. "There are certain sets of FIFA and AFC rules, which AIFF has to follow and we cannot go against these guidelines. So, it will have to be ensured that NSFs don't go against their international federations while adhering to the Sports Code," said Patel, who is also the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. "Doing that could lead to disaffiliation by the international federations and we (the NSFs) will be the losers," he told reporters at the sidelines of 'Goal 2013' convention on the business of Indian Football organised by FICCI in association with the AIFF. Patel said if at all the Sports Code will have to be implemented, it should be done after Parliamentary approval. "The Sports Ministry should take into confidence all the NSFs and other stakeholders connected with the development of sports in the country. If at all the Code is to be implemented I favoured doing it after approval by the Parliament and after consultation with the NSFs," he said. An earlier draft of the contentious Sports Code was rejected by the Cabinet during the time of then Sports Ministry Ajay Maken and the current incumbent Jitendra Singh has said that the government would not compromise on the Code. The issue of the application of the Sports Code in the elections of the Indian Olympic Association has led to the suspension of the national apex sports body by the IOC. Asked about the dropping of wresting from among the core sports for the 2020 Olympics by the International Olympic Committee, which could dent the India's medal chances in the quadrennial mega event, Patel said, "As president of the AIFF I could feel the sadness and worry of the wrestling federation and fraternity in the country." (MORE)