Batra steps down as co-ordinator

The differences within the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) have once again come to fore with Hockey India Secretary General Narindra Batra on Friday stepping down as the coordinator between the government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Batra blamed Jharkhand Olympic Association chief RK Anand and IOC member in India, Randhir Singh for prompting him to take the step. 

In a letter addressed to Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot, Batra accused Anand of joining hands with Randhir and heading a “maligning tirade” against him.  He also accused the two of delaying the impending IOA elections, an imperative set by the IOC for India’s readmission into Olympic fold.

"Of late Mr R K Anand and a few more persons have started a maligning tirade against me for reasons best known to them. They are saying that I am mixed up with the Government of India and the IOC and I am working in tandem with the Government and IOC to get ban imposed on a few people in IOA and then stand in elections for Secretary General of IOA,” Batra wrote in a letter dated July 25.

"I know Mr RK Anand is doing this on brief given to him by Mr Randhir Singh to stop IOA elections, a precondition for IOC recognition and divide the IOA and scuttle the meetings scheduled for 25 August 2013, and 29 September 2013.”

Interestingly, Batra and Anand were both part of the delegation that went to Lausanne for a meeting with IOC.

Batra said Randhir wanted elections to be delayed to fulfill his ambitions of becoming life-member of IOC.

"Mr Randhir Singh recently spent 15 days in June/July 2013 shuttling between London and Lausanne and meeting most of the IOC members to get conditions put in Ethics Code to harm the interest of a few persons within IOA and also get the scheduled IOA meetings delayed and both of you (Chautala and Bhanot) are aware of it,” Batra said."I wish to further inform you that I am not a candidate for any post in IOA and do not wish to contest elections for any posts in IOA. Also, I want to withdraw myself from all future interactions with the Government and IOC."

The Sports Ministry, it was learnt, was “quite disappointed” at the development. “We created a platform for them during our meeting with IOC officials at Lausanne. But they have always been a divided house,” a ministry source told Deccan Herald.