The Hindu
World Squash Federation president N. Ramachandran, younger brother of
BCCI chief N. Srinivasan, who has been elected unopposed as president of
IOA seen representatives of IOC after the result was declared, in New
Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Rajeev Bhatt
The decks were cleared on Sunday for India’s return to the Olympic fold
after a 14-month suspension with Indian Olympic Association conducting
its polls with N Ramachandran being elected as the
president.
The election of 65-year-old Ramachandran, chief of World Squash
Federation and younger brother of BCCI boss N Srinivasan, as IOA
president was a mere formality as he was the lone candidate in the fray
for the top post.
Kho-Kho Federation of India President Rajeev Mehta and All India Tennis
Association (AITA) chief Anil Khanna were also elected unopposed as
Secretary General and Treasurer respectively in the polls which marked
the exit of corruption-tainted Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot
from the IOA.
Voting was done only for eight vice-presidents as there were nine
candidates in the fray. One senior vice-president, six joint secretaries
and nine executive council members were also elected unopposed. All the
office-bearers of the IOA will have a term till 2016, the Olympic year.
The three observers from International Olympic Committee said they would
submit a “favourable” report to IOC president Thomas Bach and expressed
hope that India’s suspension would be revoked “sooner than later”
Robin Mitchell, IOC member from Fiji and the seniormost among the three,
even hinted that India’s suspension could be revoked before the end of
the ongoing Sochi Winter Olympics so that the three Indians taking part
in the Games can hold the tri-colour in the closing ceremony on February
23.
“We are very happy at the way the proceedings have happened today. We
are reaching Sochi tomorrow and will submit our report to IOC President
and it is upto him when to call the Executive Board meeting to decide on
India’s return. We hope it will happen sooner than later,” Mitchell
said.
Asked about any time frame, he said, “The IOC Executive Board is meeting
before the closing ceremony of Sochi Winter Olympics and hopefully the
EB will decide to revoke India’s suspension in that meeting. We want
Indian athletes to take part in the closing ceremony with the national
flag,” he said.
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