IOA remains defiant, says IOC should not force issues

A defiant Indian Olympic Association on Saturday said that it would write to the International Olympic Committee to allow the August 25 general body meeting to decide on the issue of barring chargesheeted persons from contesting elections.

The IOC rejected IOA's objections regarding barring of chargesheeted persons from contesting elections but a top IOA official said that the world body should not try to force the issue as it would lead to legal complications.

"We are writing again to the IOC in a day or two, stating that IOC's move would lead to legal issues. We would apprise the IOC that anybody can knock the doors of the court on this issue as Indian law does not bar chargesheeted persons from contesting even Parliamentary elections," the official said.

"We

will also write that the IOC should not try to force upon these provisions on the IOA. We want the GBM on August 25 to decide on the issue," he said.

"Let the IOC representatives come here for the GBM and we will present our case and let the GBM decide. If the GBM says OK with the IOC's revised draft we are happy to accept it and we have to accept it.

"If the GBM does not agree to these provisions, the IOC should not force upon us," he added.

The official also took a dig at the Sports Ministry saying that the government should also take up the issue with the IOC as it concerns whether to follow the law of the land
or not.

"We met the sports minister [Jitendra Singh] a few days back and told him to talk to the IOC people that the law of the land should be followed in matters relating to the IOA," he said.