International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach announced the formation of a four-partite committee which will provide a roadmap to overall sports development in India.
Bach is on a three-day visit to India to hold a series of consultations with the stakeholders. The focus will be on improving India's performance in Tokyo 2020 Olympics and to oversee issues related to good governance and autonomy. Bach made this announcement after holding a series of meetings with the executive committee of the Indian Olympic Association and Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
Addressing the media, he said: “A four-member working group consisting of representatives of IOC, IOA, sports ministry and Olympic Council of Asia will work together to devise how hopeful athletes can be prepared for Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This committee will also look into issues of sports science. It will also address issues of good governance, which is a major issue for IOC, as well as autonomy of sports.”
When asked whether he feels the IOA or the Government of India had crossed the line with regard to the autonomy of sports federations, Bach said, “We have discussed it and what happened two years ago should not happen again.” He was referring to the government's withdrawal of recognition to the IOA when the latter tried to include two CWG 2010 scam-tainted officials as patron-in-chief and life president.
Asked about India's dubious record of being one of the top three nations violating the World Anti Doping Agency code for three consecutive years, Bach said, “We had discussions with the sports minister on the issue of doping and protection of clean athletes and fair play. We have received very clear and firm commitment from the minister that fair and clean sports is the first priority for the government. India wants only to win fairly. This commitment was shared by the IOA. We are confident that the issue will be addressed properly with WADA.”
IOA president Narinder Dhruv Batra added that the IOA has 'insisted' the sports ministry and the SAI undertake “no needle” policy at all the national camps organised under its aegis.
IOA president Narinder Dhruv Batra (left) with Bach at the press conference in New Delhi | Arvind Jain
On the possibility of India hosting mega sports events like Youth Olympics, Asian Games and Olympics in the future, Bach clearly said that while in future it may be a possibility, as of now the process of the IOC for announcing host cities for its various events is not open for India to make a bid. “India has been realising its potential on the economic and social side. We hope it will also realise its potential in sports—first, with regards to the success of its athletes at various meets, and, at the appropriate time, with the organisation of big events. At the moment, there is no procedure open for [India to bid for] Olympics or Youth Olympics Games.”
Still, Batra went on to announce that the IOA will be making bids for 2026 Youth Olympic Games, 2030 Asian Games and 2032 Olympic Games.
Bach refused to react to the call to boycott the CWG 2022 in Birmingham by National Rifle Association of India president Raninder Singh due to the exclusion of shooting at the Games. “That is an issue with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CWGF). The IOC has no role in it. IOC has not dropped shooting from its programme,” said Bach. Shooting is a core sport in Olympic Games.
Batra, however, termed Singh's stand an individual and "extreme” step, and said that they will certainly take it up with the CWGF. “It doesn't start or end with boycott. I think that is going to another extreme.”
Bach allayed fears that e-gaming would take over from traditional sports in multi-game events at some point given its popularity in current generation. “IOC is a value-based organisation. So, to be recognised by the IOC is not easy—e-games must show physical activity on par with physical activity required in traditional games. This must be in compliance with the values of Olympic movement. We have drawn a red line in e-games—where there is violence, discrimination in content, they can never be recognised as part of Olympic movement.”
Bach congratulated India for its “great performance” at the Commonwealth Games held in Gold Coast, Australia.
The IOC president will be travelling to Mumbai tomorrow where he will be hosted by India's newest IOC full member Nita Ambani.