New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Thursday rejected the Commonwealth Games Federation’s (CGF) proposal to form an independent monitoring panel for overseeing the 2010 Delhi Games preparations.

Addressing the media here, IOA president Suresh Kalmadi demanded the removal of CGF Chief Executive Office (CEO) Mike Hooper, describing him as useless.

“(Mike) Hooper has not been beneficial for the organising committee, he is of no use to us. We want the Commonwealth Games Federation to replace him,” Kalmadi said.

Kalmadi also slammed the federation’s insistence that an independent review body must oversee New Delhi’s troubled preparations, which are far behind schedule with less than 12 months to go before the Games open on October 3, 2010.

“I am willing to take any expert suggested by the CGF on our co-ordination committee, but we feel there is no need to impose an additional technical committee on us,” Kalmadi added.

The setting-up of an independent technical review panel to monitor the monthly progress of the 2010 Commonwealth Games has not gone down well with the Organising Committee (OC) members who see it as an avoidable burden.

On Monday, CGF president Michael Fennell stated that the technical experts would assist OC in meeting the deadlines.

The IOA, however, opines that the move will lead to needless friction between OC and the CGF.

Hooper, has been the senior link between the OC and the CGF. He has lived in Delhi, working on the event for the last two years. (ANI)