War within IOA: IOC, FIH reject Mittal's charge of irregularity against Batra

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), on Friday, cleared Narinder Batra of indulging in any wrongdoing during his election as the IOA president, rejecting the complaint of irregularity filed by the Indian body's vice-President Sudhanshu Mittal.

Mittal, who had demanded an IOC ethics commission inquiry into alleged irregularities in Batra's election in 2017, was told by the world body that it considers the matter to be closed.

"It is noted that the internal issues to which you refer were addressed and resolved prior to the elections by the NOC General Assembly, which is the NOC's supreme decision-making body and the results of the NOC's elections were not challenged," said IOC's Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Paquerette Girard Zappelli in a letter to Mittal.

This came after Mittal shot off another mail to IOC president Thomas Bach, claiming to have evidence of 'fraud, falsehood, wrongdoing, and misdeeds' by the national body's chief.

Earlier, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) also refused to take any action against Batra, who heads the body, on another complaint of irregularity filed by Mittal, stating that the incumbent did not breach the world body's statutes during his election in 2016.

"In view of this, the IOC has no reason to pursue the matter further," said Zappelli.

In a complaint, Mittal accused Batra of violating the FIH's statues by holding the post of Hockey India (HI) president when he was elected FIH head in November 2016. However, the FIH said the body did not require Batra to give up the position in India for the global post.

Batra was defended by another IOA vice-President Adille Sumariwalla, who wrote to IOC chief Thomas Bach, saying he has been deeply pained by Mittal's "baseless allegations" to "bring disrepute to an honest and hardworking President."

Bach is yet to respond to any of the mails pouring in, while Batra has claimed to be on the right side in his communication to the IOC boss.

Sumariwalla praised Batra effusively in his mail to Bach and accused Mittal of harbouring aspirations of leading the IOA by toppling the incumbent. Sumariwalla is also the President of the Athletics Federation of India.

"As the only Olympian elected to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as its Vice President, it pains me to see such letters of absolutely baseless allegations being circulated to the members of the IOC," he wrote.

"...members such as Mr. Mittal, are using such tactics to promote themselves as Presidential candidates within the IOA membership, where they have no base or support. Their only aim is to bring disrepute to a honest and hardworking President, Dr Batra," he said.

"I would like to assure the President and all members of the IOC, that we the Members of the IOA have full faith and confidence in our President Dr. Narendra Dhruv Batra, whom we respect greatly and who has done yeoman service for the promotion of athletes...," he added.

He urged Bach to treat letters from Mittal with 'contempt'.