Former hockey Olympian Aslam Sher Khan today said the suspension imposed on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will prove beneficial for sports in the country.
“The IOC basically wanted IOA to adhere to its charter and conduct elections so that persons with tainted backgrounds can be prevented from entering the sports body. This will definitely prove beneficial for sports and the country in future,” Aslam told presspersons.
Citing China’s example in this regard, he said in the 60s, the Communist nation also faced a similar situation following which they had resolved all their problems and emerged as a major sports power to reckon with in 10 years.
The IOC suspended the IOA because of Government interference, a development which puts a bar on the country’s Olympic participation.
The decision was largely expected as IOA decided to go ahead with the elections under the Government’s Sports Code in line with the Delhi High Court directive, defying the IOC’s diktat to hold the polls under the Olympic Charter.
Aslam said despite the IOC and the Government trying to cleanse sports bodies, a number of “tainted persons” managed to become bosses of sports bodies.
Without taking any names, he said it could have been better if those persons had opted out on their own and not contested the polls.
The former Olympian said morality demanded that persons should emerge clean from all taints and only then enter prestigious bodies.