Cornered, IOA set to amend constitution

New Delhi: Having finally decided to toe the International Olympic Committee line, the Indian Olympic Association is all set to amend its constitution at a general body meeting in the capital on Sunday to bar charge-framed contestants from its elections.

The Indian Olympic Association, which had initially resisted the idea, was left with no other option after the International Olympic Committee served an ultimatum on November 15 to amend the constitution to bar charge-framed persons from contesting polls by December 10.

The world body had said that they would recommend India's de-recognition to their Executive Board which meets on December 10 and 11 if the diktat is not followed.

The constitutional amendments would bring to an end the year old impasse between the Indian Olympic Association and the International Olympic Committee and pave the way for India's return to the Olympic fold.

A top IOA official said that the the special GBM had no other option but to amend the constitution as desired by the IOC. “We have no choice now. De-recognition will be a disaster for India. Though some members feel that India has been singled out by the IOC on the issue of charge-framed persons, there is no other way out and we have to amend the constitution to bar them,“ he was quoted as saying.

The special GBM is also expected to decide on the dates for the IOA elections.

S. Reghunathan, who chaired the last two meetings, is likely to do so again at the special GBM.

Meanwhile, IOC president Thomas Bach said they were prepared to withdraw recognition of the IOA if it failed to comply with “rules of good governance“ by Tuesday , a punishment that would leave the world's second most populous nation out of all Olympic competitions.