Indian Government Issues Controversial Legislation

(ATR) The Indian government pushes ahead with legislation mandating term limits of officials with the Indian Olympic Association and national sport federations, which the IOC has warned are in danger of violating the IOA’s autonomy.

A statement on the sport ministry website dated March 22 says the government "issued guidelines for assistance to all national sports federations/sports bodies, which inter alia includes tenure limits for office bearers."

According to the statement, the move comes following a Delhi High Court decision that ruled the guidelines "valid, binding and enforceable, and the tenure clause is not in violation of the International Olympic Committee’s Charter.

"The Hon’ble Court also observed that the Government of India was fully competent to make regulations on National Sports Federations and Indian Olympic Association."

Among the guidelines are requirements that the president of the IOA and other sport bodies can only hold office for 12 years, "with or without break"; the secretaries general and treasurers are limited to "a maximum of two successive terms of four years each after which a minimum cooling off period of 4 years will apply to seek fresh election to either post"; and that no officer may exceed 70 years of age.

In April of last year, the IOC told Around the Rings such rules may impact India’s participation at future Games.

"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 at the time.

Now, the IOC tells ATR it's unaware of the new rules.

V.K. Malhotra, acting president of the IOA, called the move from the government "draconian, illegal and unconstitutional" last year.

"If the government is going to implement such measures in sports, then it should be implemented in all spheres of governance," he added.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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