Date:18/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/18/stories/2007111860911800.htm

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IOA to convey its opposition to SRA

Special Correspondent

IOA takes the decision at its AGM
We are ready for consultations: Randhir Singh

NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will be writing to the Union Sports Ministry to convey its opposition to the proposed sports regulatory authority and the Government’s move to bring sports into the Concurrent List of the Constitution.

This was decided by the IOA at its annual general meeting here on Friday. Having already stated its objections to the draft National Sports Policy that envisages the setting up of the regulatory authority, the latest move by the IOA has come as no surprise.

“We are ready for consultations,” said IOA Secretary-General Randhir Singh on Saturday. Asked when IOA officials would be meeting the ministry, he said it would be up to the ministry to decide. The IOA and the major National sports federations have already abstained from two meetings convened by the ministry for discussing the draft policy, on August 17 and October 10.

Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, on his part, stated recently that he had made changes in the original draft, especially in the paragraph relating to the regulatory authority in response to the apprehensions expressed by the IOA and the federations in media reports.

However, the minister also indicated that he would go ahead with the process of finalising the draft policy without further delay.

The IOA meeting on Friday also took note of the developments in Haryana where the registrar had de-recognised the two bodies headed by Abhey Singh Chautala and Naveen Jindal and appointed an administrator in the state Olympic association. “This is totally unacceptable to us,” said Randhir Singh.

The meeting approved the proposal to conduct the National Club Games involving village-level teams competing in seven disciplines, volleyball, football, handball, basketball, kabaddi (men and women), hockey (men and women) and kho-kho (men and women).

The competition will progress from block level through district and state levels before culminating in a zonal meet. The champion teams from six zonal competitions in North-East, South, East, West, Central and North will compete in the National Club Games.

The IOA will also be launching the Olympic Value Education programme among schoolchildren in the coming months. The target would be to reach 10 million children, said Randhir Singh.