The Hindu : Sport : Seminar discusses autonomy of NOCs

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 27, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Sports : General

Seminar discusses autonomy of NOCs

NEW DELHI: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will not tolerate any erosion of the autonomy of the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), according to IOC member Sam Ramasamy.

Speaking after the conclusion of the National seminar on Olympic Value Education Programme (OVEP) on Friday, Ramasamy said: “The Olympic Charter is very clear on this. The IOC recently suspended the National Olympic Committee of Kuwait after we found the Kuwaiti government interfering in the affairs of the Kuwait Olympic Committee. In fact, when FIFA found flagrant violations by some governments of the Olympic Charter, it initiated sanctions against those countries.”

Autonomy of the sports bodies in India had come into sharper focus in recent months with the Union Government bringing in a novel recognition formula under ‘annual recognition' apart from asserting itself in selection policies and elections.

The last day of the five-day seminar was devoted to the subject of autonomy of the NOCs.

Good governance, transparency, independence and autonomy were the key words at the OVEP that concluded here on Friday. The seminar addressed issues relating to Olympism and was attended by more than 50 delegates from around the country.

Dr Deanna Binder was the workshop leader while T. A. Ganda Sithole and Ramasamy were among the speakers.

IOA Secretary-General Randhir Singh, also an IOC member, said good governance and transparency were essential in whatever the NOC and its State affiliates did. “The IOC always insists on working with the governments but without affecting our autonomy,” he said. — Special Correspondent

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport