NEW DELHI: THE Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officially withdrew its threat to boycott the 2022 Commonwealth Games while also revealing their desire to bid to host for various multi-nation sporting events like the Olympics, Commonwealth Games as well as the Youth Olympics.
In its annual general meeting held at their headquarters here on Monday, a variety of topics were discussed by members which included talks on the controversial 2017 draft of the Sports Code as well as hosting the prestigious IOC session in Mumbai among other things.
“We will be sending a team to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and have officially taken back our withdrawal threat,” IOA secretary Rajeev Mehta said. To this, Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin said: “The CGF and the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement are delighted India has confirmed their intent to participate.”
With shooting being denied a place on the roster of sports in the upcoming edition of the CWG, IOA president Narinder Batra had said India might withdraw from the Games until shooting was included. Last week, NRAI and ISSF had proposed hosting a Commonwealth Shooting Championships in India prior to the event in England.
The IOA will submit the ISSF and NRAI proposal to the CGF sports committee.Regarding the possibility of medals not being counted in the main table, IOA president Narinder Batra refused to pre-empt what the final call would be. “When the whole episode started, no one could have envisaged such positive talks taking place before the end of the year.”
The AGM approved the idea of trying to bid for hosting rights for the 2026 Youth Olympics, 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2030 Asian Games and the biggest event of them all, the 2032 Summer Olympics. The IOA will now formally submit a proposal regarding the same to the Government of India.“We have decided to bid. Youth Olympics is one of the priorities. If we win the right to host the 2026 CWG, then we will try for Asian Games in 2030. Olympics is the ultimate aim,” Batra added.Another interesting development to emerge from the AGM was the fact that IOA will write to CGF regarding including archery in the sports programme as well. Archery, just like shooting, is not one of the CWG core sports. The CGF’s next meeting is on January 10.“We will send them a letter to include archery as well. Let’s see if it (can be conducted) along the lines of a Commonwealth Championship,” Batra added.
IOC session
India will soon submit a final bid to the IOC with regards to hosting the IOC session in 2023 in Mumbai. The venue has been evaluated and the IOA has formed a committee to look into it. “By end of January, we should know the outcome. There is no talk whatsoever of shifting the session to Delhi.”
Sports Code
Batra also added that the IOA has rejected the controversial draft of the 2017 Sports Code which is currently pending with the Delhi High Court. Earlier, the Sports Ministry, in an affidavit to the court, had also rejected the same.
Batra’s reasoning was that neither any NSF nor the IOA was ever a part of the discussions on the draft code. Batra, then FIH chief, was invited to be part of the panel. He is currently not a part of any committee looking into this.
“In the 2017 Committee, there was no representative from the IOA or NSF. I was called as FIH chief to express good practices of the international federations. I had written that out of the 38 international federations (29 Summer Olympics and 9 Winter Olympics), 31 have no rule that you have to follow age and tenure guidelines. Out of the remaining seven, only two follow age and tenure and the remaining five follow either age or tenure guidelines and not both. I gave that report.”
Key decisions
The IOA AGM confirmed that the 2020 National Games would be held in Goa from October 20 to November 4.
IOA had asked 3 NSFs — EFI, golf & sailing to amend their constitution. Yet to reach a resolution.
Expecting 150-member strong Tokyo Olympics contingent and medals in double digits.