1. There has been a continuing
malady in Indian sports management, which everyone is conscious of. Heavy
political presence, unlimited continuous tenure from 20 years to 40 years,
invariably without any sports background.
2. In 1974, Mrs. India Gandhi’s
government put restrictions of tenure etc. for good governance of sports in the
interest of our sports persons. These were pushed aside by those in control of
our sports world and ignored. Government Ministers acquiesced since sports were
dominated by political heavy weights of all parties.
3. In 1987, Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi tried once again. He took a meeting in the Sports Ministry and
pressed for the good governance principles of 1974.
4. The IOA people led by their
then Chairman, all pressed the fear of the IOC action in their defense, and suggested
to the PM not to do anything.
5. Rajiv Gandhi rejected their
threat and said let the IOC ban us. We will use money spent on all of you for
coaching of young sports persons. I have this knowledge from the then Union
Sports Minister, who especially telephoned me to tell me and urge me to carry
out the reforms. I dug out the minutes of 1987 meeting.
6. Soon after, I became
Minister for Sports; I faced serious questions from the Delhi High Court. I
looked into the matter and decided that the reforms had to be done immediately
for the good of Indian sports persons. I framed a detailed order
(2nd May 2010) in which I limited everyone to finally retire from sports
management at age 70. I limited the president’s tenure to 12 years and
executive members’ tenure, to 8 years. These, in fact, I copied from the IOC’s
own regulations.
7. The IOC had faced world
condemnation when Avery Brundidge, the American president of IOC had continued
for more than 30 years. I saw him at Mexico 1968 Olympics. He had poor
eye sight and could hardly walk. He was followed by Samaranch, a Spanish
President, who also continued for more than 30 years. The IOC was forced to
reform and fixed 70, 12, and 8 years formula.
8. I, therefore aligned India to the
IOC’s own regulations, and issued an order immediately applicable to IOA and
all federations.
9. I filed this order in the
Delhi High Court, who has continued to back this order. It is still valid
unless cancelled by the Union Cabinet.
10. The IOA’s then President and then Secretary
General, played the same old game, went to IOC HQs in Lausanne ,
and encouraged them to attack India ’s
patently good policy decision, which was the same as their own.
11. The Secretary General made many visits there. The
IOC started raising objections to me, saying we should not do it, and in fact,
we should also stop the High Court. How can this be possible? We have to obey
the Constitution and the law. The country should look at the correspondence
between Rogge writing through Miro, and Indian Sports Minister MS. Gill writing
through Joint Secretary Injeti Srinivas. All the correspondence is on sports
ministry’s website where we totally exposed the improper stand of the IOC
itself.
12. What was good practice for the IOC was being
sought to be blocked in India .
Finally, I sent Srinivas for a meeting in Lausanne .
Sadly, the IOA Secretary General, accompanied by a prominent lawyer, went there
to attack India ,
including its former Prime Minister in the 70s, and seeking IOC’s support to
let them continue forever and ever with no limit. All this is on the sports
ministry’s website.
13. At the CWG opening ceremony, Rogge sat next to me,
and I told him that this will not work with us. Will the IOC try the wrong
bullying tactics with China ,
and with many many dictators around the world? IOC has never a word to say on
their dubious election practices, in non-democratic regimes.
14. The Chairman of Asia
Olympic Association is a Middle Eastern sheikh. What democracy does he
represent in sports, or even in his country? Rogge had nothing to say, and
suggested that we will have discussions in China at Asian Games. I didn’t go
there.
15. The reformed elections process, I copied from the
Election Commission of India, where I was the CEC. It is simply this: there has
to be a voters list published well in advance for the knowledge of the country,
proper nomination well in advance of voting, secret ballot, and finally the
returning officer a retired High Court Judge. Has the IOC seen such good election
practices in their member countries? Is it not their moral duty to promote India ’s good
example, to their members, without worrying about their annoyance.
16. It has to be remembered that the IOC, International
Football Federation, IHF and all of them are desperate for the votes of their
members. They do not like to annoy their voters in any manner. I also see that
there is clear sports imperialism of the west in all games. The control over
each game is essentially with the western world. Political imperialism has
gone, but not sports imperialism.
17. The IOC’s current pressure is part of the same old
game, and I see an Indian hand behind it, as in my time. I hope the Indian
authorities will not cave in on spurious arguments, and abandon the valid reforms
of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. For myself, I say this: don’t be frightened,
they are paper tigers.
Press release
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