Randhir Singh to meet Sports Minister on Tuesday

Jitendra Singh and Randhir Singh are all set to have a formal meeting on Tuesday in the run-up to the crucial joint meeting with the International Olympic Committee.

New Delhi: Sports Minister Jitendra Singh and India`s IOC member, Randhir Singh are all set to have a formal meeting on Tuesday in the run-up to the crucial joint meeting with the International Olympic Committee, which is scheduled to be held on May 7 in Lausanne.

"A formal meeting will be held between the Sports Minister and Randhir Singh tomorrow," Sports Secretary P K said. The IOC had last week invited representatives of the suspended IOA and Sports Ministry for a meeting in Lausanne on May 7 in yet another attempt to find a way for India`s return to the Olympic movement even as the stand-off between the government and sport body persisted. Now the government wants an agreement with the Indian Olympic Association and the National Sports Federations on the contentious Sports Code before the joint meeting with the IOC. Deb informed that the IOA acting chief, V K Malhotra, is also keen on holding formal talks with Jitendra Singh later this week. "Malhotra is keen on holding a meeting and that would hopefully take place somewhere later this week," said Deb. The continuing stand-off between the government and sports administrators over the controversial sports code had resulted in the postponement of a joint meeting with the International Olympic Committee thrice, delaying India`s re-entry into the Olympic movement. "The government is trying take along all the stakeholders with it and build a consensus ahead of the meeting with the IOC," said Deb. The sports secretary had earlier said that an agreement on the age and tenure guidelines under the Sports Code was required for any fruitful discussion with the IOC to pave way for lifting the ban on India. The International Olympic Committee last December suspended the Indian Olympic Association because of government interference, a development which put a bar on the country`s Olympic participation. PTI