Captured by : AFP
The administration of Olympic sports in India could face amajor overhaul after world bodies and the government cracked down on the powergames played by self-seeking politicians.
In a fortnight of dramatic developments, India was suspendedfrom the Olympic movement, the boxing federation was thrown out of world meetsand the government withdrew recognition from the archery association.
Until the suspensions are lifted, Indian athletes will bebarred from the Olympics, and the boxers and archers excluded from world meets.But many see the current mess as an opportunity to clean up the system.
"Indian sports DETOX begins," tweeted rifleshooter Abhinav Bindra, India's only individual Olympic gold medallist who wonthe 10m event at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi told the espnstar.com websitethat it was a "culmination of dirty politics".
But the doubles specialist added the suspensions would be ablessing in disguise for Indian sports "as long as someone in a positionto make a difference takes the lead and starts cleaning up the mess one byone".
Politicians and officials, who regarded national sportsfederations as their personal fiefdoms, suddenly found themselves cornered -but typically remained unrepentant.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended India'smembership for unethical practices during a controversial election process inthe Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The IOA still went ahead with the polls, despite the IOCinsisting they were unauthorised and illegal, and even elected tainted officialLalit Bhanot as its secretary-general unopposed.
Bhanot is on bail after serving 11 months in jail last yearon corruption charges during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, when hewas secretary-general of the organising committee.
Haryana state politician Abhey Singh Chautala was electedIOA president, also unopposed, but found his position as chairman of thenational boxing federation under scrutiny by the sport's world governing body.
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) provisionallysuspended the Indian federation, saying Chautala had manipulated rules to easehimself into the newly-created post of chairman after having his brother-in-lawelected president.
The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) suffered adouble blow when it was also suspended by the federal sports ministry, whichprovides financial backing, and ordered to hold fresh elections within 15 days.
Chautala said he was willing to give up the chairman's postif the impasse could be resolved.
"We are ready for a re-election," Chautala toldAFP. "The AIBA can send its observer and fix a new date. I am clear thatwe have not done anything wrong."
The sports ministry further waded into the mess bywithdrawing recognition from the national archery association for flouting ageand tenure guidelines of the government's sports code.
The archery association has been headed for the past 40years by 81-year-old Vijay Kumar Malhotra, a senior member of India's mainopposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
An unrepentant Malhotra lashed out at the ministry's action,saying his body did not recognise the sports code, which limits the age ofoffice-bearers to 70 and a tenure of not more than 12 years.
"The sports code has no legal sanctity," he said."It is not an act, nor is it a part of the constitution."
All sports federations in India, barring the cash-richcricket board, depend on the government for funding training facilities andtaking part in meets both in the country and abroad.
India secured its biggest ever Olympic medal haul at theLondon Games this year, winning two silver and four bronze medals.
