New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS) The internal bickerings in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) surfaced Sunday when the Ethics Commission, hurriedly constituted by secretary general Randhir Singh and which was disbanded by a General Body resolution in December, issued a showcasue notice to its president Suresh Kalmadi and joint secretary Lalit Bhanot as to why their membership should not be terminated.
Curiously, the showcause letters were sent out December 6, six days before the committee was disbanded, making it clear the intentions of the setting up such a committee.
IOA vice president Tarlochan Singh told IANS that a committee could not issue a showcause notice when the rules were not framed.
“The rules are still being framed and it is very apparent the committee was setup just to issue the mischievous showcause notice. In fact the showcause notice holds no ground as the Ethics Commission has been disbanded,” said Tarlochan Singh.
V.K.Verma, who was the director general of commonwealth Games, was also sent a similar letter asking why his membership from a National Sports Federation should not be cancelled. Verma was the president of Badminton Association of India (BAI) when he was arrested last year.
The notice from the Ethics Commission dated Dec 6 read: “This is to issue a show-cause notice against all the three of you namely, Mr.Suresh Kalmadi, Mr.Lalit Bhanot and Mr.V.K.Verma to show cause as to why your membership from Indian Olympic Association and National Sports Federation should not be cancelled.
“Till the matter is, however, disposed of by this Ethics Commission it is hereby to issue an order of suspension from further acting as President, Associate Vice President and Joint Secretary, being office bearers of Indian Olympic Association or even to enter the premises of Indian Olympic Association until further orders passed by this Commission in any other way connected therewith and until further orders passed by this Commission,” it added.
Kalmadi, former chairman of the Commonwealth Games organising committee, and Verma were released on bail Thursday after nine months in jail in the corruption cases related with the Commonwealth Games. Bhanot was released Saturday.
After being released, Kalmadi has asked IOA’s acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra since he won’t be available to represent IOA for a long time.
