MUMBAI — The International Olympic Committee has asked its recognized Indian members to contemplate taking legal action against officials of the country's suspended Olympic association for misrepresenting the office. The IOC refused to recognize the results of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections held on Dec. 5 due to government interference which led to a tainted official being named as its new secretary general. Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody last year following corruption charges and is on bail pending further investigations, was given the senior IOA post despite the IOC deeming the elections “null and void”. Local media reported that Bhanot has been corresponding with national sports federations using the IOA letterhead, further riling the world governing body. In a letter sent to Randhir Singh, secretary general of the IOA during the previous regime, the IOC has threatened action against “illegitimate individuals” who claim to represent the suspended Indian body. “These illegal actions which obviously violate all IOC directives and decisions are aggravating the situation of the suspended Indian Olympic Association,” IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper wrote. “All individuals involved (directly or by complicity) will be held responsible and the IOC will reserve the right to take any action against them. “We request that you take all necessary measures and, if appropriate, any legal action at national level against these individuals in order to protect all assets and properties of the suspended Indian Olympic Association.” Indian FA allays fears India's soccer federation elections do not violate any regulations and there is no risk of any sanctions being imposed either by FIFA or the government, a leading official with the authority told Reuters Thursday. Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned the IOA for selecting a tainted official. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) elections, were held Thursday as per the Indian FA constitution and it also did not violate the government's sports code, the official said. “As far as the main clauses of the sports code are concerned, we are not violating them at all,” the official, on condition of anonymity, told Reuters by phone. “Neither our president nor our treasurer have exceeded two terms and both of them are below the age of 70 (as required under the sports code).” Much maligned by national federations, the sports ministry introduced a set of guidelines, or sports code, in 2011 to limit the age and tenure of administrators in India. Failure to abide by the code has resulted in government ending state funding. — Reuters
