CHANDIGARH, OCT 13 :The Haryana Olympic Association faction, led by PV Rathi and Narinder Hooda, today claimed that Abhey Chautala and Dr MS Malik were not allowed to represent HOA in the recently conducted elections of the Indian Olympic Association in Pune as a Panchkula court has restrained them and also not allowing them to use the HOA banner in any manner. The Rathi faction was also not allowed to attend the meeting.
" Abhey Chautala attended the meeting as president of the Amateur Boxing Federation of India and not the HOA. Rathi, who is Additional Director General Police (CID) Haryana, said "we held discussions with the IOA president Suresh Kalmadi and general secretary Randhir Singh. Their attitude and response were positive as they had respected the court orders and did not allow Chautala and Malik to attend the election meeting." Chautala was re-elected president of the IOA.
Asked whether his (Rathi) faction has been recognised by the IOA, HOA president Rathi said "we have applied for affiliation." Secretary general of the Rathi group Narinder Hooda intervened to clarify that HOA was already an affiliated unit of the IOA. "We have sought recognition to the newly elected office-bearers of the HOA." However, the Rathi faction has yet to finalise the full list of office-bearers. They said all remaining posts would be filled in the next week.
Replying to a question that if the IOA is not recognising their group what course of action they would take, Rathi said "the HOA and the IOA are registered bodies under registration of societies act. Both are equal. In case the IOA does not recognise the duly elected body of ours, we will take legal action against them (IOA)."
"We will wait for two months for the IOA response. They have respected the court orders and we do not have any reason not to trust the IOA," said Rathi.
When it was pointed out that due to the faction fight among the HOA, the Haryana sportspersons were suffering, Rathi said "in a democratic set up, the majority verdict should be respected and majoity is with us. More than 70 per cent of the affiliated units of the HOA are with us. If the Abhey group thinks that majority is with them they should have contested the elections to the HOA held recenlty. We are concerned about the sportspersons. But in these circumstances we can do little."
The Rathi faction will go ahead with its planning. "The imemdiate task will be to organise the State Games in Sonepat."