01-Jun-2013
During its three-day meeting in St Petersburg alongside the SportAccord Convention, the IOC Executive Board (EB) today heard updates on a number of topics, including government interference, at different National Olympic Committees (NOCs).
NOC of India
The EB took note of the progress made following fruitful meetings between the IOC and the Indian Sports Minister and representatives of national sports federations belonging to the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on 15 May in Lausanne. The IOC has subsequently provided a roadmap that lays out the steps to be completed by the suspended IOA as a prerequisite for lifting the suspension. Under the IOC’s supervision, the IOA’s constitution should be reviewed and amended no later than 15 July 2013 to ensure that all standards of good governance and ethics are effectively addressed. In addition, the IOA’s elections should be organised no later than 1 September 2013 on the basis of the newly amended IOA constitution and the Olympic Charter. It was also agreed with the Sports Minister that the autonomy of the Olympic Movement in India will be fully respected and a fruitful relationship between the government of India and the Olympic Movement will be established.
NOC of Pakistan
The EB noted with great concern that the situation of the Olympic Movement in Pakistan has deteriorated due to the creation of a parallel body to the NOC by a group of federations supported by government authorities, in particular the Pakistan Sports Board. The IOC has reiterated on several occasions that it will not accept such a body, which stands in clear contrast to the basic principles of the Olympic Charter, and will recognise only the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), currently headed by Gen. (Retired) Syed Arif Hasan, as the sole entity entitled to act as the NOC of Pakistan. All the IOC’s efforts to reach a mutual understanding have been ignored by this parallel body and the government authorities so far. The EB therefore highlighted that if this parallel body (supported by government authorities) continues to disrupt the operations of the legitimate POA, in particular by organising new “elections” outside the POA and by preventing the POA from exercising its activities as foreseen by the Olympic Charter, Pakistan will be suspended from the Olympic Movement with all consequences this implies. |
