NSFs, State associations to hold meeting today

The National Sports Federations (NSFs) and State Olympic Associations will be meeting on Sunday to discuss how to put into action the roadmap issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to facilitate India’s return to the Olympic fold.

The IOC in its roadmap, following a meeting with Sports Ministry and IOA members in Lausanne, had asked the IOA to amend its constitution before July 15 and hold fresh elections by September 1.

Sources said on Saturday they would be discussing everything ranging from amendment of the present constitution to finalising the election procedure at the meeting.

“We will freeze everything in tomorrow’s meeting and issue a timeline. We have been given a timeframe by the IOC and we have to adhere to it. We will be finalising on every single demand of the IOC,” a source told Deccan Herald.

It was, however, not clear who had called the meeting. All one could hear was that it was decided among the sports federations.

“IOA members, whether from suspended or elected body, are part of the state associations. Everyone would be present there to decide on the matter,” the source
said.

However, both acting president of the suspended IOA VK Malhotra, who is also president of the Archery Association of India, and IOC member in India, Randhir Singh, who is also the secretary-general of the IOC-recognised IOA, are unlikely to be the part of the meeting.

The two had pulled out from the delegation that went to Lausanne after the IOC consented to the presence of the two members representing the National Sports Federations — Narinder Batra (Hockey India secretary-general) and R K Anand, listed by the IOC as a representative of the weightlifting federation, who also happens to be the president of the Jharkhand Olympic Association.

Sports secretary PK Deb said though the ministry would not be part of the meeting, it had kept the channels open in case of an emergency.

“As sports ministry we are not keeping a tab but we certainly have kept the channels of communications open in case of a problem,” Deb said on Saturday.