Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) appears to have brokered a truce between Indian sports federations and the sports ministry on the functioning of the sports bodies.
The IOC, after a meeting with the representatives of the sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at Lausanne, Switzerland, observed that the government of India should “fully respect the autonomy of the Olympic Movement in India.”

It also said that IOA would “implement the basic principles of good governance in accordance with the Olympic Charter”.

“All pending issues were discussed at length and resolved. It was agreed that the NOC and the Olympic movement in India would implement the basic principles of good governance in accordance with the Olympic Charter; that the government of India would fully respect the autonomy of the Olympic Movement in India; and that all parties would work together to establish fruitful collaboration based on mutual respect and understanding,” the IOC Executive Board (EB) said on its website Tuesday.

“The EB was very satisfied with this outcome, but also stressed that the IOC will monitor the situation and will ensure that the Olympic Charter is respected in India.”

IOA secretary general Randhir Singh, who attended the meeting, told IANS from Lausanne Wednesday that he was satisfied as the Olympic charter will be followed.

“The Olympic movement in India will not suffer,” he said.

Randhir Singh also said the IOA had already decided to make amendments in its constitution which will help it in good governance.

“We have to implement the new WADA rules. We are going to introduce an Ethics Commission and an Athlete’s Arbitration Commission, through which the cases of our athletes can be directly referred to Court of Arbitration For Sport (CAS).”

“We will also bring laws regarding the election process to bring more transparency and we will recommend to the national sports federations to follow them,” he said.

The sports ministry and sports federations have been at loggerheads over the government reviving its 35-year old guidelines restricting the tenure of officials. The sports bodies have rejected it outright, saying it is a violation of their democratic and independent existence and violates the Olympic charter.

Meanwhile, the IOC has decided that the National Olympic Committee of Kuwait will remain suspended until its issue with the government authorities in the county is resolved.

“Nevertheless, in order to protect the rights of the athletes, the EB decided that the Kuwaiti athletes would be able to take part in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore under the Olympic flag, in the event that the situation is not resolved by then,” the IOC said.

Kuwait was susoended by IOA in January over government interference.