After the International Olympic Council opened the gates for India’s return to the Olympic fold during a meeting with Indian officials at the IOC headquarters in lausanne on Wednesday, Sports Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the ban was likely to be lifted within 30 to 60 days.
“The IOC has decided to pave way to lift the ban on IOA. Indian sportspersons will be able to join the Olympic movement. A roadmap has been drawn in consultation with delegates of our national sports federations, the Government, IOA and the IOC. As per the IOA constitution, a 30-day notice is required to call an extraordinary general meeting, which will be taken care of by a dedicated person in IOC. The matter will be wrapped up in 60 days,” Singh said during a Press conference at Palam on his return from Switzerland.
Singh disclosed that the national sports Bill being redrafted by Punjab and Haryana High Court chief justice Mukul Mudgal, in consultation with IOC and IOA, would be complete by June 30, 2013. “This Bill will be in consonance with the IOA charter and will have the required cluses fulfilled on the issues of transparency and the Right to Information.”
“We discussed the sports code with IOC officials and they agreed it was in conformity with the Olympic Charter, except for provisions relating to transparency and accountability in the functioning of sports bodies and Right to Information. But the Government funds 40 to 70 per cent of the budget of federations and it is taxpayers’ money and we have to make sure that this money is spent well. The sports bodies will have to be accountable under the law of the nation. The redrafting process has been started. IOC’s legal officers with justice Mudgal will be finalising the first draft by June 30,” he added.
The Minister admitted that IOC had expressed is concern about how sports was being run in India and pitched for transparency and ethics. “The new Bill have provisions for an independent Election Commission, a dispute redressal mechanism and good governance,” Singh said.
The IOC will be sending an external observer to ensure that the IOA elections are conducted in a free and fair manner.
On wrestling being dropped as a sport from the 2020 Olympics, he said that a new body had been set up to look into the issue and a decision would come in two to three weeks. “I had a word with IOC officials who said they would be discussing it with the International Wrestling Federation at the upcoming Annual General Meeting in St Petersburg,” Singh added.
later in the day, the Minister asked Indian Premier league (IPl) authorities to hand down deterrent punishment to three cricketers allegedly involved in spot-fixing if they are found guilty and said the Board should ensure that such unethical incidents do not happen in future.
“It is very unfortunate that Delhi Police have arrested some cricket players for their alleged role in the spot fixing in the ongoing IPl tournament,” the Ministry said in a statement.
“The Minister of Sports, Shri Jitendra Singh has spoken to Chairman of the IPl Shri Rajeev Shukla on the issue and impressed upon him to take urgent steps to put in place a mechanism to prevent such unethical activities and ensure clean sports in the country.
“The Minister also emphasised that strict action be taken against all those who are found guilty to serve as a deterrent to others,” the release added.