The Indian Olympic Association has been directed by the Delhi High Court to set up a three-member Committee of Administrators to take over its affairs. According to PTI, the court took the decision after the IOA’s “persistent recalcitrance” to comply with the Sports Code.
A bench of Justices Manmohan and Najmi Waziri said the CoA to run IOA’s day-to-day affairs will comprise former Supreme Court judge Justice Anil R Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner Dr SY Quraishi, and former Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup.
Additionally, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, world championship medallist Anju Bobby George and Olympian Bombayla Devi will be the consultant sportspersons.
Each member of the CoA will receive an honorarium of Rs 3 lakh per month while each of the consultant sportspersons will get Rs 1.5 lakh, the court said.
The IOA is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the National Olympic Committee for India.
The court directed the executive committee of IOA to hand over the charge to the newly appointed committee. After considering the issues related to the tenure of office bearers and voting rights, the court also struck down the post of “life president” and any such permanent post for an individual in the IOA for being illegal and said that the maximum term for the president and likewise to all office bearers and members of the EC has to be limited to three tenures as per the law.
The court’s order was passed on a petition by advocate Rahul Mehra seeking strict compliance by the IOA and the National Sports Federations with the Sports Code.
“The history of persistent recalcitrance of the IOA for almost half a century to comply with the Sports Code, despite its consistent assurance to the Government, the societal concerns, and the larger public good, make it imperative that the IOA’s affairs be put in the hands of a Committee of Administrators (CoA)” the court was quoted as saying by PTI.
The court directed the centre to not grant recognition or facilities to any sports bodies that do not comply with the sports code and further called for the implementation of “structural reforms” to remove the mismanagement in the sports bodies and to democratise these institutions.
“This Court is of the view that the Sports Code must be made applicable to every constituent of every NSF, including IOA as well as its constituents. Accordingly, respondent No.1/Union of India is directed not to grant recognition or any facility (monetary or otherwise) to the IOA or to any NSF and/or any of its affiliated Associations, if they refuse to comply with the Sports Code as directed by this Court,” it said.
“The Central and State Governments may well consider passing a comprehensive legislation with regard to recognition and management of sports bodies incorporating the best practices and the IOC Charter without which no facility (monetary or otherwise) should be granted by any State and Union of India.”