Randhir pulls out of race for presidency

Randhir Singh withdrew his nomination for the post of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president on Sunday.

 Randhir said that being already an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, he would not want to fight the elections at a time the IOC had raised objections regarding the very conduct of the elections under the National Sports Code.

With another candidate for the president post, Raj Chopra also withdrawing his nomination, the way has become clear for Abhay Singh Chautala, the chairman of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation, to get elected to the post at the December 5 elections.

 Randhir signed his withdrawal before Returning Officer Justice (Retd) V K Bali on Sunday, the first day of withdrawals.

Randhir said he was doing so in the light of IOC and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) sending a written warning to disaffiliate the IOA  if the elections were held under the government’s Sports Code.

 “The IOC sent a letter two day ago and being an IOC member it won’t be proper on my part to fight the elections. It will be against the constitution of the IOC.

The current elections are being held under the government Sports Code which the IOC has made it clear it will not recognise,” said Randhir, who is also the IOA and OCA Secretary-General.

 “But we will continue to fight these men. We still have the majority.”

Chautala welcomed the withdrawal of Randhir Singh.Meanwhile, the scrutiny of nominations has been completed.

While most big names have been cleared, including Lalit Bhanot, the candidate for the post of secretary, who is facing corruption charges in the New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

However, R K Shetty’s nomination has been rejected as he was not a part of the electoral college.

  There were objections raised to the nominations of K Mururugan also on the basis of the age cap. He was asked to produce his birth certificate but by then the party had withdrawn its objections.

It is possible Murugan might withdraw his nomination on Monday.