S Ravindra Bhat is not a sportsperson. Neither he is a sports administrator. But he has done something praiseworthy which not even the government couldn’t do in all these years. Well, Mr Bhat is a judge and is credited with a historical ruling which has considerably expanded the scope of the Right to Information (RTI) Act on sports associations.
Last week, the Delhi Hight Court has asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Commonwealth Games Organising Commitee (OC) to shed opacity and set up an office to disseminate information and depute a public information officer (PIO).
They were brought under the ambit of the transparency Act which I’m sure is expected to open the floodgates of pointed RTI queries directed against these sports bodies, seeking information about their management, grants and administration. The judgment will have an impact in injecting an element of accountability not just in IOA and OC, but in all the sports federations.
Meanwhile, our Sports Minister MS Gill is trying to make Indian sports clean. I’m not sure how far will he be able to succeed. But atleast he has forced federations to function in a transparent, dignified manner. Though the federations are autonomous bodies and most of them function in archaic, feudal manner yet the minister wants to them to fall in line with the “democratic principles of the country”.
That’s great news. But what about our football association?. Since this blog exclusively focuses on Indian football, I would be ask Mr Gill if he can bring about a change in All India Football Federation (AIFF).
In June last year, AIFF secretary general Alberto Colaco resigned from the post. The AIFF executive committee decided to hold interviews to select the candidate who would replace Colaco. Even the vacancy was advertised on AIFF’s web portal. Lot of candidates applied for the post. But only the “right candidates” were shortlisted for the interview. They even received their call letters. But surprisingly the interview never took place. Why? Well, that’s what we have been trying to figure it out.
It was learnt that Colaco, apparently, in his last ditch effort, has been trying to manipulate the big bosses at AFC and FIFA and use their influence. In one of the tours to Zurich alongwith the Sports Minister, the outgoing secretary had asked an important FIFA member to influence Gill. Now we know why AIFF hasn’t yet finalized the interview date and Colaco was happily given an extension by the executive committee which otherwise is happy to bow to the Goan.
AIFF’s secretary post is a paid one. But it assumes a lot of significance. Anybody would love to hold it for long. But Mr Gill’s call to democratize system has taken a beating. Once the vacancy is out and the candidates have been selected, why the AIFF has dillydallied on the interview date.
Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was dismissed by IOA to bring in a fair, clean, new management. As Mr Gill said: “We can’t have a system where “there is no appeal, no daleel, no vakil”. Why the sports ministry, who has dolled a huge chunk of public funds to the federation, should not pull them up?
I hope this turns out to be a landmark verdict which could have major impact on their sports organizations and their functioning.
AIFF is also not transparent in its functioning. While Das munshi’s reign of close to 3 decades came at a cost of his health, the obvious successor turned out to be an understudy and confidante of Das Munshi. Nothing short of a nepotistic farce.
Colaco is yet another cast in the whole drama.Everyone plays their dirty games at the risk of the sport. It is cheap and 3rd rate.
all these tramps should be brought to books.
hope this verdict paves way to that situation.