Ex-Commonwealth Games Chief Detained, Seeks Bail

(ATR) Ex- 2010 Commonwealth Games boss Suresh Kalmadi is under lock and key as he awaits a Tuesday court hearingoncriminal chargesin connection with the New Delhi competition.

Federal agents arrested the former organizing committee president Monday over a $33 million timekeeping contract suspiciously awarded to a Swiss bidder.

Other graft charges brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation stem from a 2009 ceremony in London to kick off the baton relay through countries of the former British Empire.

Kalmadi was roundly booed during October’s opening and closing ceremonies as allegations of shoddy construction, graft and financial mismanagement largely overshadowed the two-week mega-event.

The 66-year-old was one of three Delhi 2010 officials to be sacked soon after Ajay Maken took control of India’s sports ministry in late January and is the 13th to be detained as part of the CBI’s ongoing corruption probe.

Now the clash between India’s government and national Olympic committee appears to be heading for court with the arrest of Kalmadi, also president of the India Olympic Association.

"It would not be in the national interest that he should represent the country anymore," Maken was quoted Monday by the Press Trust of India.

"We are going to request the Indian Olympic Association to elect someone."

Though his "request" seems for the moment to be only that, Maken made clear his intent to remove Kalmadi with or without the IOA’s blessing as well as his willingness to take the matter to court.

"We will also be writing to the Attorney-General seeking his legal advice," he told PTI.

"The government can also take action on its own if the IOA fails to take any action against him. If required, we will take action on our own."

Maken is already at odds with the NOC over his plans to introduce legislation into parliament this July that would force IOA and sport federation officials to retire upon their 70th birthdays. The bill also includes a maximum tenure of eight years in office.

Such meddling of the government into NOC affairs has meanwhile drawn the ire of the IOC, who last week told Around the Rings the push for age restrictions and terms limits is jeopardizing India’s participation at future Olympics.

"It appears that the government of India is still failing to respect the jurisdiction and autonomy of the NOC and the Olympic Movement in the country," an IOC spokesperson told ATR days after Maken resumed his call for the controversial legislation.

"This may unfortunately impact the representation and participation of India on the international sports scene and at the Olympic Games, in particular, if the government of India does not observe its commitment to respect the jurisdiction and autonomy of the NOC and the Olympic Movement in the country."

Efforts made Monday by ATR to reach the Indian sports ministry and IOA by both phone and email have been unsuccessful.

The Olympic Charter says all NOCs must be free from government interference, and athletes are occasionally forced to compete under the flag of the IOC due to such intrusions.

Written by Matthew Grayson.