Sikh Federation UK welcomes IOC decision to suspend India due to Indian Government Interference

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Sikh Federation UK welcomes IOC decision to suspend India due to Indian Government Interference

London, UK: The IOC had repeatedly told the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to adhere to its own constitution and the Olympic Charter and not follow the Indian Government’s sports code for its election on Wednesday 5 December.

After months of warnings, the IOC executive board met today in Lausanne, Switzerland and imposed the sanction when the IOA failed to comply with the world body’s demands for holding independent elections.

Suspension means the Indian body will stop receiving IOC funding and its officials will be banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India’s athletes will be barred from competing in Olympic or similar multi-nation events like the Asian Games, being held in South Korea in 2014, under the Indian tricolour, although the IOC could allow them to do so under the Olympic flag.

Indian athletes have said the decision brings disgrace to India. Top Indian shooter Mansher Singh said that the decision would mean that Indian players would not be playing anymore for India and there would be no Indian tricolour flying at these events.

The IOC had also recently threatened to suspend Kuwait’s Olympic committee, but the Gulf nation amended its sports law last week and was not hit with an IOC sanction today.

The Indians have been mired in wrangling over the elections to replace Suresh Kalmadi, who was jailed for nine months on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. The Indian vote, originally scheduled for last month, has been postponed to Wednesday following the resignation of election commission chairman S Y Quraishi.

On Friday, the IOA announced the appointment of some officials to posts which were not contested in the elections. Appointed as secretary general was Lalit Bhanot, who is also facing corruption charges relating to the Commonwealth Games. Bhanot is out on bail after being held in custody for 11 months last year.

The IOC Ethics Committee had in October warned the Indian body against fielding either Bhanot or former IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi. Haryana state politician Abhey Chautala who is set to take over as President of the IOA has blamed Indian IOC member Randhir Singh for the suspension claiming he has used his contacts to have the IOA suspended.

A Sikh Federation (UK) spokesman said:

“The IOC decision to suspend India and prevent athletes from competing under the Indian flag is highly embarrassing for India.”

“The IOA is run by corrupt Indian politicians, some have been convicted and are criminals and others such as, Jagdish Tytler, who is the current Vice President, have been implicated in instigating mass murder of innocent Sikhs so we welcome the tough stance taken by the IOC to suspend India with immediate effect.”

“We have written to the IOC welcoming the decision to suspend India and exploring the possibility of Sikh athletes from across the globe competing in future events under the Sikh flag.”

Source: Gurjeet Singh, Sikh Federation (UK) Press Secretary

http://sikhsangat.org/2012/sikh-federation-uk-welcomes-ioc-decision-to-suspend-india-due-to-indian-government-interference/

[JasSinghKhalsa]

“We have written to the IOC welcoming the decision to suspend India and exploring the possibility of Sikh athletes from across the globe competing in future events under the Sikh flag.”

Just wondering if the quote could had been "exploring the possibility of all Indian athletes from across the globe competing in future events under the Sikh flag.”

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

Just wondering if the quote could had been "exploring the possibility of all Indian athletes from across the globe competing in future events under the Sikh flag.”

Sikh athletes in the UK, Canada, USA, Australia etc. may object being called 'Indians' and might quite like the possibility of representing the Sikh Nation under the Sikh flag. Hopefully Sikh athletes living in India will not have a problem with the Sikh flag - they will not have the choice of the Indian flag. Eventually we may get non-Sikhs living in a Sikh homeland, representing that homeland - just as we may have Sikhs living in other countries deciding to represent the country they live in.

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Sikh athletes in the UK, Canada, USA, Australia etc. may object being called 'Indians' and might quite like the possibility of representing the Sikh Nation under the Sikh flag. Hopefully Sikh athletes living in India will not have a problem with the Sikh flag - they will not have the choice of the Indian flag. Eventually we may get non-Sikhs living in a Sikh homeland, representing that homeland - just as we may have Sikhs living in other countries deciding to represent the country they live in.

I take your point, my view was from a different angle - all Indian athelets in India to get a chance to participate in IOC under Khalistan flag , so not just Sikhs of India or Sikhs of abroad, but probably all Sikhs of world + all Indian athelets of India .

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2012/12/05/ioc-suspends-indian-olympic-association-due-to-government-interference-uk-sikh-body-welcome-the-decision/

[JagtarSinghKhalsa]

BBC News

India court orders charges against Suresh Kalmadi

Suresh Kalmadi has denied all allegations of corruption

A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ordered corruption charges to be brought against the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games head Suresh Kalmadi.

Mr Kalmadi and 10 others face charges of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. They deny wrongdoing. The charges will be read out on 10 January.

The row over the Games is one of a series of corruption scandals that has rocked India's Congress-led government.

Mr Kalmadi was released on bail in January after nine months in custody.

India's federal investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, arrested him in April 2011 "for conspiracy to cause favour to a company in Switzerland while procuring timers and scoring equipment for the Games".

On Friday, a judge in Delhi ordered prosecutors to bring charges against Mr Kalmadi, Games secretary general Lalit Bhanot, and nine others for illegally awarding the contract to the company in Switzerland.

Mr Bhanot spent 11 months in custody last year on corruption charges linked to the event before he too was released on bail.

Mr Kalmadi, a sitting member of parliament, has also been charged with corruption in a case related to contracts at a 2009 event in London which marked the start of a baton race across Commonwealth countries. He denies those charges too.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-20807530