IOA to go ahead with Executive Council meeting

New Delhi: Undeterred by IOC`s refusal to recognise it, the Indian Olympic Association has decided to go ahead with its Executive Council meeting on January 19, a move which could put National Sports Federations in a spot in the wake of the world body`s warning not to deal with the IOA.

The IOC, in its latest letter addressed to V K Malhotra, who was the acting IOA chief before the controversy-marred December 5 elections, had warned the NSFs not to associate with the current office bearers, led by Abhay Singh Chautala whom the world body described as "illegitimate individuals". The IOC had said it would ask the international Federations to take action against such NSFs. In a circular to the heads of NSFs and state Olympic bodies, a defiant Chautala said the Executive Council meeting would be held as scheduled. "I am forwarding herewith a letter dated January 14 received from Mr Pere Miro, NOC Relations Director, IOC and Mr Hussain Al-Musallam, Director General and Technical Director, OCA, which has been addressed to Prof Vijay Kumar Malhotra and which has been forwarded by him to me for necessary action," Chautala said in the circular. "In the Executive Council Meeting to be held on 19th January 2013 our endeavour will be to get back into the IOC and we would like to discuss this letter, so that appropriate action can be taken by us in this regard," he said. Since the suspension of the IOA on December 4 last on the ground of government interference, the IOC has refused to deal with the office bearers led by Chautala. The world body had declared the the controversy-marred elections held a day after the suspension as null and void. The IOC, in its latest letter, had also proposed a meeting with the IOA, led by Malhotra, and a government representative while also maintaining that the lifting of the ban on India would be considered only after the elections are held solely under the Olympic Charter. The IOC still continues to recognise Malhotra as the legitimate head of the IOA. PTI