The Hindu : Sport : IOA rejects revised draft National policy

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IOA rejects revised draft National policy

Principal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the National sports federations on Monday rejected outright the revised draft National Sports Policy, saying that the Union Sports Ministry had failed to address their concerns despite repeated suggestions.

“The revised draft Sports Policy still retains the contentious issue of regulatory body and we are totally opposed to that, in any form,” the IOA President, Suresh Kalmadi, told mediapersons after a three-hour-long meeting attended by the sports federations, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Sports Ministry.

Mr. Kalmadi was upset by the absence of Union Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar at the meeting.

“This was the first meeting where the IOA, sports federations and the ministry were to discuss the draft Sports Policy across the table, but Mr. Aiyar decided to stay away,” said Mr. Kalmadi.

“It would have been better had Mr. Aiyar been here to discuss,” he said. None of the bureaucrats who attended the meeting was competent enough to take a view on any particular issue, he added.

“The IOA and the National federations, however, said though they were opposed even to the revised draft sports policy, they were ready to discuss the issue.”

Meetings boycotted

The IOA and the sports federations had twice earlier boycotted the meetings called by the Sports Minister. Monday’s was the third meeting, but this time Mr. Aiyar decided to keep away.

Over 40 sports federations, the IOA, the SAI and the officials of the Sports Ministry attended the meeting.

The IOA reiterated its opposition to sports being brought under the Concurrent List.

“The 2001 Sports Policy is acceptable to all and even without reviewing it the Sports Ministry was bent upon introducing a new policy,” Mr. Kalmadi said.

“The Bill regarding bringing sports into the Concurrent List is stuck in the Rajya Sabha for last 19 years, but now Mr. Aiyar wants it to be brought in through other route,” he added.

Mr. Kalmadi suggested forming of a Working Group comprising all concerned parties to thrash out the issues.

The federations voiced their concern about the delay in releasing funds for the training of athletes.

“Olympic Games are just six months away and the Commonwealth Youth Games are seven months from now, but the Sports Ministry is still sitting on funds that are needed to send athletes for training,” Mr. Kalmadi said.

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