IOA gets support from CGF supremo

The draft National Sports Policy, drawn up by the sports ministry, has already faced a certain resistance from the Indian Olympic Association....

The draft National Sports Policy, drawn up by the sports ministry, has already faced a certain resistance from the Indian Olympic Association and today, the IOA released a letter from Michael Fennell, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, to further strengthen its case.

In a letter to Suresh Kalmadi, president of IOA, Mr Fennell has voiced his concern—after he went to various media reports on the controversy regarding the sports policy—that if the Government’s move to establish an independent Sports Regulatory Authority is aimed at undermining the autonomy of both the IOA and the National Sports Federations, then it goes against “the Olympic Charter and the Constitution of the Commonwealth Games Federation.”

The IOA has convened a meeting of all the National Sports Federations tomorrow, to discuss the draft policy. In his letter, Fennell praised the government for formulating the draft sports policy, but said it was a matter of concern if “such an authority would undermine the autonomy of both the IOA and the National Sports Federations”.

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“Such a policy by government is of course to be applauded, however, recent media reports seem to indicate that part of this policy looks to introduce ‘a sports regulatory authority’ which would be empowered to ‘legislate on sports related issues’,” the letter stated.

“These same media reports go on to express concern that such an authority would undermine the autonomy of both the IOA and the national sports federations. If this is the intention of the draft policy either by design or by default then it would be in contravention of both the Olympic Charter and the Constituion of the Commonwealth Games Federation,” he said.

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