New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary general Randhir Singh Tuesday resigned from the governing body of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to protest what he alleges a shabby treatment by the sports ministry which did not invite him for Sunday’s National Sports Awards function.
Randhir Singh said he was being targeted by the sports ministry because he was opposed to the government guidelines limiting the age and tenure of sports administrators.
‘I tender my resignation from the governing body of the SAI with immediate effect,’ Randhir wrote to the SAI director general in a letter Tuesday.
‘The proof of officials’ attitude was reflected when they ignored even a routine invitation to me for the Arjuna Awards function on the National Sports Day, Sunday, at Rashtrapati Bhavan. I have been receiving the invitation from time immemorial as a renowned sportsperson and an administrator.’
‘Though I am not at all surprised at the bureaucratic mindset, I did not expect it to happen in a manner that can hurt the feelings of a sportsperson, whose credentials are unsullied. I don’t want to make an issue out of something that is trivial in nature, but I want to let the authorities know how they start behaving when they don’t like someone refusing to tow their line,’ Randhir said.
Randhir said he was expecting the backlash from the ministry.
‘I knew it was coming, slowly but surely. The U-turn in the ministry officials’ attitude began no sooner than I started supporting the Olympic Charter and vehemently opposed the imposition of government guidelines on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and National Sports Federations (NSFs),’ he said.
Randhir said his stand vis-a-vis the guidelines was as per the Olympic Charter.
‘I, as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in India, need to safeguard the interests of the Olympic Charter –which supports the autonomy of the national Olympic body and its affiliates, the NSFs.
‘I will continue to do what I have been doing all these years — as a sportsperson of some repute, as secretary general of both IOA and Olympic Council of Asia, and above all as a member of the IOC.’
