'CWG-tainted' Lalit Bhanot elected IOA General Secretary unopposed, churns fresh row

"The IOC's reply was forwarded by Tytler to everyone from his personal mail id. In this whole case, Bhanot did not receive any letter from the IOC but it was Tytler who had raised questions on his contesting the elections," Chautala said.

Bhanot, who was jailed along with former IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and VK Verma in connection with the CWG corruption scam, was elected unopposed despite serious objections from the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC Ethics Commission's recommendations stated that tainted officials like Bhanot cannot be part of the Olympic movement.

Bhanot, who spent 11 months in jail and later released on bail, was the only candidate in the fray after Volleyball Federation of India Secretary General K Murugan and Judo Federation of India General Secretary Mukesh Kumar decided to withdraw their candidature.

The IOA may have elected its new office bearers, but the threat of them being banned by the IOC still exists. The IOC had said it will propose the suspension of the IOA at its executive board meeting on December4-5 in Lausanne if its elections were held under the Sports Ministry's code.

Meanwhile, an official associated with Bhanot's camp, today justified his election to the post of secretary general, stating that the matter is sub judice.

"Everyone favoured his candidature as he is still not convicted of any charges. He is not a convicted person as the charges against him have not been proved. He will resign from the post if proven guilty by the court. He has always helped in the upliftment of sports. He has been wrongly projected as a tainted person in the media," he said.

Bhanot's election came in for sharp criticism from Randhir Singh, who withdrew his nomination for the post of president in view of the code dispute, and former Indian Hockey Federation chief K P S Gill.

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