Sports ministry steps in as Khanna says ‘withdrawing’ contempt petition to resolve IOA points amicably

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The tussle for supremacy within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took a dramatic flip late on Thursday. To the chagrin of the IOA members, performing president Anil Khanna, who had earlier filed a contempt petition dated 31.08.2022 within the Delhi High Court in opposition to ‘IOA president’ Adille Sumariwalla and 18 govt council members who had supported him, withdrew the petition as he desires the matter to be settled amicably. He mentioned because the authorities is making a critical effort to defuse the IOA state of affairs he didn’t wish to complicate the state of affairs.

“The government is making a serious effort to resolve the matter and I would want to extend my support,” Khanna advised this newspaper on Thursday. “Though I do not agree with the group of people who went to court and the way they were trying to unsettle IOA, but for the larger interest I want to resolve the matter amicably. I want to bring peace in the IOA and in good spirit, I am withdrawing the contempt petition.”

Khanna, in his petition, had mentioned that Sumariwalla and others had gone in opposition to the order of the Delhi High Court that had agreed that he takes cost because the president after former chief Narinder Batra’s election was invalidated.

“I want to bring peace in the IOA so that we can all come and work together to have election and resolve all matters in the IOA,” Khanna mentioned. It is known that there was a gathering of National Sports Federations and the sports activities ministry the place among the NSFs had raised the problem of the IOA mess. And later, it’s learnt the ministry didn’t wish to create extra mess.

He additionally mentioned that members should be affected person and that election will probably be held on or earlier than December (court docket had given 16 weeks time). “Everyone needs to be patient and in any case, I am ineligible to contest election because I will be 70 years old,” he mentioned.

“Right now the priority is to host the National Games in Gujarat later this month successfully. Everyone will be watching us. If we host a successful Games, then we can bid for multi-discipline events like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.”

Sumariwalla had earlier contested Khanna’s appointment saying his publish below the IOA structure didn’t exist and likewise he was not elected by the chief council both. Khanna had mentioned he was there due to the court docket’s directive and would vacate if the court docket says so. “If Adille is president, let him be. If court wants me to continue I will,” he mentioned.

However, with a change of coronary heart, issues may change for the IOA, particularly after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had warned that IOA may face suspension if they didn’t begin the elections course of as per the previous structure inside the subsequent few weeks by means of a letter dated July 20, 2022. With IOC monitoring each transfer in IOA, ministry needed to step in and request the Supreme Court to not let Committee of Administrators (CoA) take cost of day-to-day functioning of the IOA, particularly after FIFA suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The subsequent IOC session is scheduled to be held in India in June subsequent 12 months. Any suspension of the IOA would imply India could not be capable of host it. Also, this can result in athletes not competing below the nationwide flag in worldwide occasions.

CHENNAI: The tussle for supremacy within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took a dramatic flip late on Thursday. To the chagrin of the IOA members, performing president Anil Khanna, who had earlier filed a contempt petition dated 31.08.2022 within the Delhi High Court in opposition to ‘IOA president’ Adille Sumariwalla and 18 govt council members who had supported him, withdrew the petition as he desires the matter to be settled amicably. He mentioned because the authorities is making a critical effort to defuse the IOA state of affairs he didn’t wish to complicate the state of affairs.

“The government is making a serious effort to resolve the matter and I would want to extend my support,” Khanna advised this newspaper on Thursday. “Though I do not agree with the group of people who went to court and the way they were trying to unsettle IOA, but for the larger interest I want to resolve the matter amicably. I want to bring peace in the IOA and in good spirit, I am withdrawing the contempt petition.”

Khanna, in his petition, had mentioned that Sumariwalla and others had gone in opposition to the order of the Delhi High Court that had agreed that he takes cost because the president after former chief Narinder Batra’s election was invalidated.

“I want to bring peace in the IOA so that we can all come and work together to have election and resolve all matters in the IOA,” Khanna mentioned. It is known that there was a gathering of National Sports Federations and the sports activities ministry the place among the NSFs had raised the problem of the IOA mess. And later, it’s learnt the ministry didn’t wish to create extra mess.

He additionally mentioned that members should be affected person and that election will probably be held on or earlier than December (court docket had given 16 weeks time). “Everyone needs to be patient and in any case, I am ineligible to contest election because I will be 70 years old,” he mentioned.

“Right now the priority is to host the National Games in Gujarat later this month successfully. Everyone will be watching us. If we host a successful Games, then we can bid for multi-discipline events like the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.”

Sumariwalla had earlier contested Khanna’s appointment saying his publish below the IOA structure didn’t exist and likewise he was not elected by the chief council both. Khanna had mentioned he was there due to the court docket’s directive and would vacate if the court docket says so. “If Adille is president, let him be. If court wants me to continue I will,” he mentioned.

However, with a change of coronary heart, issues may change for the IOA, particularly after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had warned that IOA may face suspension if they didn’t begin the elections course of as per the previous structure inside the subsequent few weeks by means of a letter dated July 20, 2022. With IOC monitoring each transfer in IOA, ministry needed to step in and request the Supreme Court to not let Committee of Administrators (CoA) take cost of day-to-day functioning of the IOA, particularly after FIFA suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF).

The subsequent IOC session is scheduled to be held in India in June subsequent 12 months. Any suspension of the IOA would imply India could not be capable of host it. Also, this can result in athletes not competing below the nationwide flag in worldwide occasions.