Batra set to be elected IOA president

Top tennis official Anil Khanna has decided not to contest the election for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president’s post even though the deadline for the withdrawal of his nomination papers has passed.

Anil Khanna, a former All India Tennis Association (AITA) chief, filed his nomination papers and was in the fray for the president’s post along with International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Narinder Batra at the time of deadline for withdrawal on December 3.

But in a surprise move, Khanna has written a letter to the IOA election commission, informing his decision to withdraw from the contest and support Batra for the president’s post in its elective Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) on December 14.

Khanna’s decision to withdraw from the contest will clear the decks for Batra to be elected as the IOA president. His election for the top job will be a formality now.

Batra will thus become one of a few sports administrators who heads a National Olympic Committee while holding the post of president of an important international federation.

A top IOA official said since Khanna, who is the incumbent IOA treasurer, had not withdrawn his candidature by the stipulated deadline, technically the election for the president’s post may be conducted but the members will be inclined to vote for Batra only under the secret ballot system.

Khanna said he was withdrawing his candidature to “keep the IOA family united”. He expressed his decision to withdraw from the contest in a letter written on the letter head of AITA.