New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to clear the Government’s stand regarding the hosting of the South Asian Games (SAG) in the country next year.
In a letter to the prime Minister, IOA Acting President Vijay Kumar Malhotra requested Dr Singh to immediately convene a meeting of Delhi Chief Minister, IOA officials and the Sports Minister to be presided over by him to take a decision in this regard.
"You have just returned after attending the SAARC meeting in Maldives. You must have been briefed there that next South Asian Games (SAG) are scheduled to be held in Delhi next year," Malhotra has written in the letter.
Malhotra said the Games have come to India because of the rotational system of hosting and only the IOA is authorised to oversee the conduct of the event.
"Here I want to make it very clear that the IOA did not make any bid for these Games. These Games have come to us because of the rotation system. SAG, earlier called South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, are part of the SAARC charter according to which Games have to be rotated among the member states," he said.
"As per Article 12 (4) of the South Asia Olympic Constitution, the National Olympic Committee of the country on which the responsibility of the celebration of the Games fall, shall organise the Games on its own or it may delegate this authority to an Organising committee, which shall act under the guidance of the NOC," he explained in the letter.
"I request you to call an urgent meeting, of Delhi Chief Minister, IOA officials, and sports minister, presided over by you to discuss the planning and conduct of the Games which is a national commitment, because India is a founder of the SAARC."
Malhotra said calling such a meeting is very important because of Maken's recent comments that the IOA cannot be entrusted with the money to organise the Games.
"The meeting is important because sports minister Ajay Maken is continuing with his unbridled, unfounded and malicious campaign against the IOA," he said.
"He has claimed that he does not have much confidence that the present IOA will handle huge amount of money for organising the Games. The minister has also claimed that unless he has the confidence of handing over money to such organisation he can't commit to it," Malhotra said.
"I want to emphasis here that, as per the Games constitution and the Olympic charter, only the NOC (which is IOA) can conduct it and nobody else. Not with standing minister's liking or disliking."
Malhotra stressed on the fact that with huge infrastructure in place, the Games could be held at minimal cost. “I am told that, Bangladesh which hosted the previous edition of the Games spent around Rs. 80 (Eighty) crores. It should cost us much less because we don’t have to spent anything on the stadia. However IOA will like to sort out the matter as quickly as possible, We want to know whether the Government is interested in hosting the Games or not. Hence this request for urgent meeting with you,” Valhotra has argued in the letter.
IOA has already made it clear that for the conduct of SAG it will like the government to deal with the financial aspect handle of it . “We want the government agencies to handle the expenditure and income from T.V. rights, sponsorships, advertisement etc. and Delhi Government can take charge of opening and closing ceremony. IOA will also like to have some senior union cabinet minister, as its nominee, to be the chairman of the Organising Committee.”
Terming hosting of SAG a national commitment, Malhotra has written that IOA would do its best to make them technically successful game. “To conduct the Games is our responsibility, rest is Government’s,” he wrote in the letter.