Batra quits as IOA associate vice-president in protest

Senior functionary Narinder Batra on Friday resigned as the associate vice-president of the Indian Olympic Association as a mark of protest against the IOA for not taking back its decision to appoint scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala as honorary life presidents.

Strongly expressing his reservations over the appointments, Batra, who recently became the International Hockey Federation (FIH) president, said he was strongly against the backdoor entry of Kalmadi and Chautala in the IOA.

“Keeping in mind that you/IOA have not taken any action in withdrawing the nomination of Life President of IOA even after 3 days of the AGM, hence as an expression of my protest and objection against the decision, I hereby submit my resignation from the post of Associate Vice-President of Indian Olympic Association,” Batra wrote in a letter addressed to IOA president N Ramchandran and secretary general Rajeev Mehta.

“I have checked up with quite a few members and none of them have confirmed having received/seen any information 7 clear days prior to the 27th December, 2016 AGM of IOA in relation to appointment of Life Presidents in IOA.

“I do not support the decision taken by IOA General Assembly in relation to nomination of 2 Life Presidents and also take this opportunity to thank one of the Life President’s who refused to accept the offer of IOA. The above definition’s also do not allow for any backdoor entry,” said Batra, who was the former Hockey India chief.

I thank everyone for whatever brief association we may have had with each other in IOA.