New Delhi: The internal feud in the IOA came out in the open on Tuesday with its secretary general Randhir Singh and vice-president Tarlochan Singh engaged in a war of words over the controversial scrapping of Ethics Committee.
While Randhir Singh maintained that the IOA President V K Malhotra is fully authorised to form any committee, Tarlochan claimed that such a committee could not be formed without the approval of the general body.
Tarlochan said he was in favour of Ethics Committee and Arbitration Commission but wanted the general body to be involved in the entire process.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), in its General Body Meeting here on December 15, had disbanded Ethics Committee and Arbitration Commission, triggering a virtual showdown between the Suresh Kalmadi loyalists and faction against him.
Tarlochan on Tuesday said that the general body was “unanimous” in scrapping all the committees formed in the last few months since it was not taken into confidence.
“No member was against Ethics or Arbitration Commission. All the GBM wanted was that it should be taken into confidence while taking such important decision,” Tarlochan said.
Randhir, on his part, said the constitution of the sports body gave the president the power to form any committee or commission. “I came to know that Tarlochan Singh has made a statement regarding the ethics committee. He is neither the President nor the secretary general of the IOA and is not authorised to speak,” Randhir Singh told.
Randhir, who will step down from his post next year when his term comes to an end, said the President doesn’t need the nod of the general body to form any committee.
“They have not understood the constitution of the IOA. The constitution is clear on the powers of the president. The president is fully within his rights to form a committee or commission,” he said. (PTI)