Sydney performance: Govt. refuses CBI inquiry

NEW DELHI, NOV. 27. The Government today rejected the demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the dismal performance of the Indian squad at the Sydney Olympic games and said a national sports policy was on the anvil for the promotion of sports.

Replying to Dr. V. Saroja and Mr. Aditya Nath Yogi in the Lok Sabha, the Youth Affairs and Sports Minister, Ms. Uma Bharti, said the demand for a CBI inquiry was out of place as the Government had already initiated in-depth examination to ascertain what ailed Indian sport.

In another reply, she said efforts were on to bring sport on the concurrent list to enable the Centre to implement a coordinated programme for its uplift. She agreed with members that India's performance at Sydney was a matter of shame and warranted immediate attention.

Ms. Bharti said the required acceptance from the states had already come but the concurrence of political parties was awaited.

Prof. A.K. Prem Chandran (CPI-M) wanted to know why the Government was not undertaking its earlier programme of catching young talent.

Former cricketer, Mr. Kirti Azad (BJP), wanted an inquiry into alleged bungling of funds by the 80-member bidding committee.

The committee members, he said, took along their family members and misused the funds. He also wanted know from where the foreign currency came for the committee.

No taking over BCCI

The Government said there was no move to take over the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the wake of alleged irregularities. ``There is no such move.

The Government is studying the CBI report and consulting concerned Ministries,'' the Minister of State for Sports, Pon. Radhakrishnan, said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

- UNI, PTI

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