IOA takes on Gill over tenure row

IOA slammed Sports Minister MS Gill’s views on the tenure controversy in sports authorities.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Taking Sports Minister MS Gill’s views on the recent tenure controversy for office bearers in sports authorities head on, Randhir Singh, Secretary General IOA on Tuesday said that, “Olympic charter doesn’t specify any age or tenure of limit. Violation of Olympic charter may result in suspension.” Hinting at the fact that the ruling given by Union Sports Minister MS Gill was illegal, he said, “These regulations may result in sanctions on IOA and may affect the working of CWG 2010.” The entire sports bureaucracy is up in arms against the statements of Gill after he openly supported the idea formulated in 1975 by the Indira Gandhi government. However, MS Gill insisted that the new regulations limiting the tenures of National Sports Federations` office-bearers will have no impact on the Commonwealth Games later this year."We have made it clear that all office bearers (sports bodies) continue their work and as and when future elections come which are mainly in 2012, 2013 and 2014, these regulations will apply," Gill told reporters outside parliament. "IOC says 12 years for the president, age limit of 70 and we said we will go with that. So now 12 years. But if somebody wants 12 into 30 and plus 40 I have nothing to say. That`s all we have done nothing more, nothing less," he said. After the Sports Ministry came out with an order limiting the office terms of sports administrators, many including IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi and Judo federation chief Jagdish Tytler, both Congress MPs, have criticised the move."Its a free country and I welcome comment," Gill said. Gill, maintained that he has just restored the previous order issued by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1974-75. "Let me explain what we have precisely done. In the time of Mrs Indira Gandhi, 1974-75 these regulations were issued by the Education Sports Ministry limiting terms among other things for better management and promotion of sports in India. That was the fundamental objective.” "However, these had been set aside in a casual order in August 2002 by the then minister. We have restored the regulations of 74-75. I have made no new regulations of my own."