IOA, NSFs approach PM to discuss tenure issue

Indian Olympic Association officials along with a delegation of National Sports Federations are meeting the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament on Wednesday to discuss the issue of new guidelines, that seek to limit tenures of sports administrators.

IOA Secretary General Randhir Singh and chiefs of Sports Federation entered the premises of the Parliament and were later joined by IOA President Suresh Kalmadi.

"We have come to discuss the issue with the Prime Minister," Randhir Singh told reporters.

The IOA and the NSFs have termed the government move as interference in their affairs and even warned yesterday that the attempts to erode their autonomy may invite international ban on India.

The new regulation bars NSF presidents, which includes long-standing IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi, from occupying the top posts for more than 12 years, with or without break, while secretaries and treasurers can serve eight years at a stretch and can seek a re-election only after a four-year gap.

Apart from Kalmadi, the regulation seeks to end the more than a decade-old reign of VK Malhotra (archery), Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (cycling), VK Verma (badminton), Captain Satish K Sharma (aero club), B S Adityan (volleyball) and Jagdish Tytler (judo).