CSI claims IOA fooling people with amended constitution

Clean Sports India (CSI) today alleged that the IOA's decision to amend its constitution to bar charge-framed persons from contesting its elections was a complete eyewash.

CSI president Ashwini Nachappa said the amended Constitution gives tainted officials an opportunity to return to their posts after securing clean chits from the body's ethics commission.

"IOA is trying make IOC believe that they have followed the ultimatum of the IOC and the two tainted office bearers will be removed as a direct impact. However, by referring the case to the IOA's very own Ethics commission that can give a clean chit to tainted members using the representation of peoples' act, it seems that this clause is ineffective," Nachappa, an Olympian, said in a statement.

The decision to amend the IOA constitution in line with IOC diktat was taken at its Special General Body Meeting on Sunday after the the world body served the ultimatum last month that it would de-recognise India if the charge-framed persons are not barred from contesting polls.

The newly added clause said: "Where charges have been framed by any court in India, in respect of an offence which is of serious nature under Indian Penal Code/Prevention of Corruption Act in which punishment of imprisonment of more than 2 years is prescribed then the member/office bearer/member of executive council of IOA will resign immediately and if not they will be provisionally suspended and will not be eligible to contest in elections and the case will be referred to IOA Ethics Commission for further guidance".