New Delhi:
Archery Association of India president Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Saturday said if Sport Minister MS Gill continues to press for implementation of his "absurd" guideline which seeks to limit tenures of sports bosses, it might jeopardise the country hosting the Commonwealth Games.
The Sports Ministry's guideline seeks to limit the tenure of the presidents of IOA and NSF at 12 years with or without the break. The secretary generals and the treasurers' tenure is fixed at eight years at a stretch while also advocating a retirement age of 70 for all executives.
"Nowhere in the world there is such a rule. The IOC have given a damning reply to it and if the Sport Minister still persists to press for it's implementation, it might jeopardise the Commonwealth Games and if it happens only Gill will be responsible," Malhotra told reporters here.
IOC on Saturday rejected Sports Ministry's argument for a tenure limitation regulation with the IOC and OCA saying if the Ministry insisted on implementing the guideline, the issue would be referred to the IOC Executive Board meeting next month which may lead to India's suspension or de-recognition from the Olympic family.
Malhotra said that the Sports Ministry was trying to make an impression that it grants a huge sum of money to the federations and state associations.
"NSFs get financial assistance from ministry on specific heads only and it is a myth that it grants huge sums of money," said Malhotra, who is also senior IOA vice-president .
"Besides reimbursement of Assistant secretary's salary to NSFs, the government did not extend any funding. Against a spending of more than Rs 13.55 lakhs on different administrative heads during 2008-09, which includes Rs 5.57 as disbursement of salary to staff members, only Rs 1.81 lakh has been received from the ministry," he explained.
Malhotra said the role of NSF was like a treasury for forwarding funds from one hand to another.
"In 2008-09 audited statement of accounts of AAI, Rs 1.29 crores has been indicated as receipts from ministry for sending teams abroad for tournaments. But out of this receipt, the government had paid rs 97.29 to Balmar Lawrie/Air India directly for providing air tickets to athletes," he said.
"The actual received amount by AAI was only Rs 32 lakhs on account of participation fee sch as boarding, lodging, entry fee which had been paid to organisers of different events," he added.
Speaking on Delhi High Court's decision to quash disaffiliation of Indian Hockey Federation, Malhotra said the IOA will take a decision after a proper discussion.
"I haven't seen the court order so I can't comment but yes, we will discuss the matter with other members of IOA and take a proper decision," he said.