Gill to slug it out with IOC

The government reacted strongly on Wednesday to the objections raised over their controversial guideline to limit the tenure of office-bearers of the Indian Olympic Associations and National Sports Federations, offering to depute a senior official to resolve the issue with the International Olympic Committee.

Earlier in the day, a 20-member delegation led by the IOA president, Mr Suresh Kalmadi, met the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, seeking his intervention in the issue.

The sports ministry, however, sought a direct interaction with the IOC on the matter. The government said it would send a detailed response and offered to send an official to IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the matter. “The PM told us that he will look into the matter and get back to us,” Mr Kalmadi told reporters.

Mr Kalmadi again lashed out at the sports minister, Mr M.S. Gill, for the timing of the move and said he should have up with this idea after the Commonwealth Games.