New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta has told the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that some of the provisions of its draft constitution, which were adopted on Thursday, were in “stark variation” from what was agreed upon in a joint meeting in Switzerland in September.
The IOC had in September given a final warning to the Indian Olympic Association to hold elections by December or face suspension.
Representatives of IOA, IOC, Sports Ministry, Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and IOC member Nita Ambani had a joint meeting in Lausanne on September 27 to discuss a way forward.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court appointed retired apex court judge L Nageswara Rao to frame the IOA constitution and hold elections before the deadline prescribed by the IOC.
But Mehta said the amended draft constitution, which has got the approval of the IOC, has some provisions different from what had been agreed upon in the joint meeting.
“In the amended draft received by the IOA, we found that there are stark variations in some points from what we had discussed and agreed upon on 27th September 2022,” Mehta said in the letter addressed to IOC’s NOC Relations Department Associate Director Jerome Poivey.
“Besides, there are other corrections to be included in the amendments,” he wrote in the letter sent by e-mail on Tuesday.
He also enclosed a feedback document along with the letter, containing suggestions, corrections and notes regarding the draft constitution.
“We request your sincere cooperation and support in upholding the autonomy of the Olympic movement in India.” On Thursday, Mehta also claimed that justice (retd) Rao had not consulted him on matters relating to the NOC (National Olympic Committee) while framing the draft constitution.
“Justice Rao never consulted me in matters relating to the NOC during the drafting of the constitution,” Mehta said after the IOA adopted the draft constitution prepared by Rao under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
Mehta also said that as per the agreement during the Lausanne meeting, the secretary general was to be allowed to hold office for three continuous terms without cooling off period, just like the president.
The IOA on Thursday adopted its draft constitution framed under the supervision of the Supreme Court and the IOC but several members said they were forced into doing it after the apex court made it mandatory. PTI PDS PDS AH AH
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