NEW DELHI: India's sports minister said Tuesday the government would press ahead with plans to craft a controversial law to limit the terms of its ageing sports bosses. Ajay Maken said his ministry had prepared a national sports development bill to be introduced in parliament that would limit the tenures of the country's top sports officials and impose age restrictions. The move could put India on collision course with international sports federations, including the International Olympic Committee which has already threatened to bar India from the Olympics over the proposal. “We want to put the age limit on office-bearers at 70,” Maken told reporters at a packed press conference. “After that they must vacate their seats in favor of fresh and younger people. Also, any official can head a sports body for a maximum of two successive terms not exceeding eight years.” A number of senior politicians holding senior sports positions would be affected, particularly the disgraced chairman of the Indian Commonwealth Games organizing committee and Indian Olympic Association president, Suresh Kalmadi. Kalmadi, 66, a high-profile lawmaker from the ruling Congress party is held responsible for the shambolic organization of the corruption-tainted Delhi Commonwealth Games in October. Others set to lose out include opposition lawmaker Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who has led the country's archery federation for 31 years, and former sports minister Sukhdev Dhindsa, who has presided over cycling for 14 years. Maken, a senior member of the ruling Congress party, appealed to the sports chiefs to support the legislation. “Those who will be affected by this law will feel hurt. But it is a request in the larger interest of the country that they liberate sports and allow athletes and younger people to come in,” he said. Maken said the law drew heavily from the Olympic Charter, which sets out guidelines for the functioning of the Olympic committees, and was not aimed at curtailing the autonomy of sports federations. India's prime minister, meanwhile, has vowed “stern action” over claims of corruption in the awarding of the New Delhi Commonwealth Games television contract to a Britain-based broadcast firm. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued the warning to Indian officials Tuesday after receiving a report from auditors investigating graft claims against the former head of an Indian state broadcasting agency and British company SIS Live.
