IOA Controversy: Sports Ministry suspends Indian Olympic Association for appointing Suresh Kalmadi, Abhay Singh Chautala

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry on Friday temporarily suspended the defiant Indian Olympic Association (IOA) till the time it reverses the decision to make the scam tainted duo of Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala its life presidents.

"The government can't approve of wrong things. The showcause notice issued to the IOA was a serious one but they didn't respond and instead sought 15 days time. So the government has decided to suspend IOA till the time they withdraw the appointments," Sports Minister Vijay Goel said today.

The government took cracked the whip after IOA failed to reply to its showcause notice with the deadline ending at 5 pm today. The national sports body had asked 15 days time as its president N Ramachandran is out of the country.

Following the suspension, IOA will cease to enjoy the privileges and prerogatives bestowed on it by the government as the National Olympic Committee (NOC).

"The IOA now can't take any financial assistance, facilities and privileges from the government till the time they are suspended," Goel added.

Yesterday, the government served the showcause notice, warning with suspension threat.

"This is a serious violation of the norms of good governance by IOA which is the mother sports body and corrective action needs to be taken immediately as it is a matter of national prestige and public sentiments.

"Although the government has utmost respect for the Olympic Charter and is committed to protecting the autonomy of sports, it cannot remain a mute spectator to blatant violation of principles of ethic and good governance by IOA, thereby putting the image and prestige of the country at stake," the Minister had said.

Earlier today, associate vice president of IOA Narinder Batra resigned from protesting against the naming of Kalmadi and Chautala as Life Presidents.

On Thursday, Kalmadi had declined the life presidency offer by saying time is not appropriate for him to take up the responsibility, but Chautala could only offer to relinquish.

The IOA during its annual general meeting named Kalmadi and Chautala as life time presidents.

Kalmadi, tainted by the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games corruption scandal, was also the former Athletics Federation of India president.

Chautala, headed Indian Olympic Association between 2012 and 2014, when it was suspended by the International Olympic Committee. The ban was lifted in February 2014.