New Delhi: Speaking to NDTV on our show India Decides at 9, Indian Olympic Association President, Suresh Kalmadi, said there's nothing wrong in politicians running sports.
"It's a good thing that some politicians are looking after sports also. When no one is coming forward at least some politicians are coming forward and I appreciate that. The politicians, a bureaucrat or an industrialist should head sports organizations, the secretary should be a technical person and the international players should be selection committee. That's the way we operate," he said.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court asked the union government to explain if there is a code of conduct for ministers who hold posts in sports associations.
The court also asked that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar be made a respondent, along with suspended IPL Chairman Lalit Modi and current IPL Chief Chiryau Amin, to a case filed by a member of the Shiv Sena.
The case being heard was a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which challenges the Maharashtra government's decision to waive any Entertainment Tax for the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament which just finished. The exemption has cost the government several crores, and many have alleged that the decision was heavily influenced by Pawar, whose Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) forms the Maharashtra government along with its ally and senior partner, the Congress.
The court has asked for Pawar to be added as a respondent so that he can answer the allegations against him.