IOA affiliates five federations with eye on Nov 25 polls

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today set the ball rolling for its election next month by granting provisional affiliation with voting rights to five national federations and also announcing a three-member election commission to oversee the November 25 polls.

The IOA decided to grant provisional affiliation to Ice Skating Association Of India, Ice Hockey Association of India, Indian Amateur luge Association, the Indian Golf Union and Modern pentathlon.

"We had appointed a five-member committee to discuss the issue of affiliation of federations and they have recommended that one year provisional affiliation be granted to five national federations and they be given voting rights as well for the November elections," IOA acting president V K Malhotra told reporters after its Special general body meeting here.

"These federations satisfy most of the criteria but they will have to comply with the relevant provisions of IOA constitution and fulfill the remaining requirements within a year or else they would be deaffiliated," he added.

It is learnt that the five-member committee had recommended provisional affiliation to four federations but the decision to include Modern Pentathlon was taken by the Special General body.

"Majority of the members were in favour of granting affiliation to Modern Pentathlon. So it was included in the list though the committee had not recommended", a top IOA official said.

Under the IOA Constitution, the federations under Olympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games were given affiliation but the IOC's new rules state that all those federations whose sports are in Olympic programme should have the voting majority in the electoral college.

Another important issue was the nomination of a returning officer for the elections, whose notice had been issued on October 5.

"We have decided to appoint a three member election commission to oversee the polls. One of the members will be a returning officer and the other can be supreme court judges," Malhotra said.

... contd.

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