New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association on Saturday made it clear that its role in bringing the Formula One race to India had ended two years back and it had nothing to do with the management of the project.
The clarification came in the wake of a media report which claimed that IOA President Suresh Kalmadi's son and daughter benefitted from the project.
A national daily disclosed that Kalmadi's son Sumeer was part owner of the company that has signed the contract with the organisers to built the race track in Greater Noida.
It also said that Kalmadi's daughter and son-in-law joined the company - JPSK Sports Private Limited - as directors.
However, the IOA sought to defend its President saying that it had nothing to do with the project as they had backed out of it long back.
An IOA statement said that since they could not meet the "stringent conditions" set by the Formula One Administration like mustering governmental support and raising $35 million for the project, their involvement ended in 2007.
"Thus the facilitating role of IOA in bringing this prestigious event to India came to an end at a premature stage itself, resulting in automatic termination of further communication on this issue with FOA by IOA in September, 2007, therefore IOA had no further role in the matter," the statement said.