PANAJI
The Goa Olympic Association (GOA) has called for a meeting of its Executive Council on August 4, where one of the main points on its agenda will be the elections to its Executive Body.
GOA Elections were last held in July 2014 and are thus scheduled to be held any time soon, since the tenure of the council has technically come to an end in July 2018. What is significant this time is a letter sent by Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, in which he has asked states to adopt the National Sports Code in order to achieve best results.
In his letter to the Chief Ministers, he has urged them to enforce the provisions of the code in order to bring about good governance and transparency in the functioning of the state and district-level sports associations. “Since ‘sports’ is a State subject, suitable instructions need to be issued or law to be enacted by the State as well to enforce the provisions of National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI) in all the state and district-level sports associations. It’s being felt that the efforts of good governance and ethical practices are defeated unless the affiliated units of NSFs are also complaint with such provisions,” Rathore pointed out.
“It has been brought to notice that almost all the affiliated units are not adhering to good governance provisions in the absence of such instructions and laws. As a result, State/district level sports bodies are run as ‘fiefdom’ of a few people. I hope that you (CMs and LGs) will look into the matter personally and instruct the chief secretary and sports secretary of your state to take immediate steps in this connection. This will go a long way in freeing the State/district level sports bodies, which are run as fiefdom by a few bureaucrats/ politicians etc., and contribute significantly to the development of sports in the country,” the Union Minister emphasized in his letter.
Meanwhile, Sandeep Heble, who is the Secretary of Goa Badminton Association has written a letter to the CM, the Sports Minister, the Executive Director (SAG) and the President / Secretary of Indian and Goa Olympic Associations, urging them to consider and implement the recommendations issued by the Union Sports Minister. “State sports associations must amend their constitution or be directed to do so, as mandated by the Sports Code guidelines, before conducting their elections”, said the GBA Secretary in his letter.
“The IOA, the parent body of GOA, were directed to strictly follow the Sports Code by the SC and the GOA, which is its affiliated unit should also be duty bound amend their constitution in line with the Sport Code. Non implementation of the Sports Code by GOA and other State associations would render the letter issued by the Union Sports Minister as meaningless and will be a huge set back to good governance principles, which have been prescribed by the ministry guidelines,” the letter adds.
“Necessary action may kindly be taken on the subject matter and suitable directions given to usher in a new era of transparency in sports bodies”, the GBA Secretary appealed.
With age and tenure clause a part of the Sports Code, many office bearers in the GOA and various other sports associations who have occupied posts of president / secretary / treasurer for more than 12 years may have to vacate their seats. With the Sports Secretary having marked the letter to the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs and marking it as ‘important’, there are indications that the State may just be very serious in implementing the Code.
