IOC letter strengthens IOA

Ministry’s draft policy set to run into further trouble

Two days after over 40 officials of the national sports federations (NSFs) expressed their solidarity in rejecting the national draft Sports Policy and empowering the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to deal with it, comes the big missive.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in a letter addressed to IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, IOC director Miro Pere has warned that the series of measures under the new sports policy under study might impact the rules and principles governing the Olympic movement as laid out in the Olympic Charter.

IOC director’s letter says: “… in particularly, we should like to take this opportunity to remind you that, according to the Olympic Charter, while the NOCs may cooperate with governmental bodies, with which they shall achieve harmonious relations, they must preserve their autonomy and refrain from any measure which may prevent them from complying with the Olympic Charter…”

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At the meeting of the representatives of the NSFs Kalmadi had released a letter from Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) chief Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. That letter, too, had reaffirmed that any interference by the government in the functioning of NOCs and NSFs will amount to violating the Aomori Declaration.

The Sheikh had warned that any aggressive intent eroding the autonomy of the national Olympic body would not only be taken lying down but could amount in withdrawal of recognition to the national Olympic body.

The IOA has called for a meeting of the state Olympic associations on September 7 to know their viewpoints before letting the government know what it felt about the draft policy.

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