CHENNAI: The Annual General Meeting of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will be without many fireworks this time around. The election matter had been an issue but as of now, there has been no opposition to president N Ramachandran’s tenure.
The other sticky points — affiliations of national boxing, basketball and gymnastics associations will definitely let off pyros.
If sources are to be believed, more needs to be done before the entire house agrees on granting them affiliations. But a lot of work has been done and in the case of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), the matter might be settled on Tuesday. That is if the house agrees.
The three-member committee of Anil Khanna, Rajeev Mehta and Virendra D Nanavati, who were supposed to talk to the federations to reach an agreement will submit its report and a detailed discussion will take place a day before the AGM. The way things stand it doesn’t look like the matter will be settled without bickering.
The BFI has already got affiliation from the government as well as the international boxing association (AIBA). The only affiliation left is that of the IOA. However, when asked, the IOA president said: “whatever decision needs to be taken will be taken in the house. We will present this to the house and if the majority agrees, we will give them affiliation.”
Besides these issues, the IOA will also felicitate Rio Olympic medallists after the AGM. While PV Sindhu will receive `30 lakh, Sakshi Malik will be richer by `20 lakh. The IOA has also decided to honour P Gopichand for his efforts by presenting him with a cheque of `15 lakh.
The IOA earlier felicitated international hockey federation (FIH) president Narinder Batra and its chief N Ramachandran in New Delhi on Friday. Ramachandran presented a memento to Batra, while IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta presented one to the IOA president. Batra was honoured because he was elected FIH chief, while the International Olympic Council’s Olympic Order was the reason behind Ramachandran’s felicitation.
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