M A I N   N E W S

Now, Sports Ministry cracks whip on athletics federation
MS Unnikrishnan/TNS

New Delhi, December 11
Continuing its crackdown on sports federations that have not strictly followed the sports code in the conduct of their elections, the Union Sports Ministry today set aside election of the president, secretary general and treasurer of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

election to top posts Set aside * Election of the president, secretary general and treasurer of the Athletics Federation of India has been set aside * According to the ministry, the AFI’s constitution restricted potential candidates from contesting for the top posts and also violated the National Sports Development Code-2011 * The AFI has been asked to amend its constitution “within 60 days, or February 28, 2013, whichever is earlier”, else its recognition “shall stand withdrawn without any further notice”

The action against the federation follows the ministry’s suspension of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) and de-recognition of the Archery Association of India (AAI) for “procedural flaws” in the conduct of their recent elections.

The ministry’s action came in the wake of the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on December 4, for 
the application of the government sports code in the IOA elections.

The ministry said the reason behind setting aside the election to the top three posts of the AFI was that according to clause XIV(b)(1) of its constitution “a person must be an existing member of the executive committee of the AFI for seeking election to the post of president or secretary”. “This clause was found to be restricting the potential candidates and was also in violation of the National Sports Development Code 2011. It was also observed that the election to the post of treasurer was also in contravention of the Department of Personnel and Training’s circular, dated April 22, 1994,” the ministry said.

The ministry has directed the AFI to amend its constitution to delete clause XIV(b)(1) and hold elections to the above three posts afresh. The federation has been advised to carry out the necessary amendment to its constitution “within 60 days, or February 28, 2013, whichever is earlier”, else its recognition “shall stand withdrawn without any further notice”.

The AFI’s “restrictive clause” pertains to the rule in its constitution that only a previous executive committee member could contest for the posts of president and secretary, with the condition that there should be three proposers and as many seconders for these two posts. The ministry’s suggestion is expected to be complied with by the AFI as it was willing to hold fresh elections, though the AFI has asserted that it had followed every clause in the sports code while holding elections.

The new AFI is headed by national sprints champion Adile Sumariwala, who is perhaps the only top sportsman to head a National Sports Federation (NSF). An Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, soft-spoken Sumariwala represents the Maharashtra Athletics Association. Secretary CK Valson is also a former athlete and an international technical official, while Karnataka Athletics Association secretary Satyanarayan was elected as the treasurer. All three were elected unopposed.