IOA calls for EC meeting

The suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has called its Executive Council meeting on January 19, despite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) declaring its  December 5 elections “null and void” and barring its members from representing it in any capacity.

Unmindful, the suspended body has even charted out its meeting’s agenda which include renting out some portion of the IOA Bhawan, preparation of athletes and the issue of suspension imposed by the IOC. Also, there is a move to have a gallery for the India’s Olympic medal winners at the IOA headquarters.

“We will be discussing to rent out some of the portions of the IOA as per the laws of DDA. This was the plan for some time now as there is plenty of space lying vacant. The funds will go to the IOA,” one of the members said.

“We are also planning to have an Olympic gallery for the medal winners and trying to collect their pictures.”

The suspended body does not seem too worried about violating the IOC directives. “We have to do something, we can’t be sitting just like that,” the member said.

The IOC in its recent communication had expressed its anger and concern over the “misappropriation of responsibilities and properties by a number of illegitimate individuals claiming to represent the suspended Indian Olympic Association,” despite its repeated statements that it will not recognise IOA’s December elections.

In its last communication on December 20, the world body had threatened actions against the members and directed the IOC member in India, Randhir Singh, to take all necessary measures and even gave him a go ahead for any legal action at national level against them “in order to protect all assets and properties of the suspended Indian Olympic Association.”

The world body had suspended the IOA on December 4 for government intervention and violation of Olympic charter and barred it from holding its elections the next day.

Two international federations (boxing and taekwondo) have subsequently suspended their Indian units as a follow-up measure to the IOC suspension.