Chennai: Indian Olympic Association on Friday laid out a plan to improve its financial condition by deciding to attract corporate sponsorship to fund the national sports federations and state Olympic bodies while also announcing cash rewards for medal winners of the 2014 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The IOA in its Annual General Body Meeting here decided to grant the NSFs and state Olympic bodies Rs 3 lakh each per year. The AGM also decided to hold South Asian Federation Games in Guwahati in November-December next year while awarding Uttarakhand the 38th National Games in 2018.
“We have found that the government grants to NSFs have come down considerably and there are hardly any given to the state Olympic association. The Executive Committee of the IOA took a decision that each NSF and state Olympic association will be given Rs 3 lakh per year each,” Ramachandran said.
Asked how the money will come for the IOA to fund the NSFs and state Olympic bodies, Ramachandran said, “Give me some time. We just started. But, before I end my term I am reasonably certain that we will make IOA financially sound and independent of government, financially at least.”
He said that steel major JSW has expressed its desire to offer help to NSFs and the athletes.
“We had a presentation by a sponsor JSW, who offered to help and fund National Sports Federations to help athletes better themselves. IOA will have to be financially viable and financially independent,” Ramachandran.
“We need more funds for functioning and get money from sponsors. I have taken the permission from the executive committee and the AGM to approach sponsors for sponsoring the IOA and NSFs,” he said.
Ramachandran also announced that the IOA will award cash prizes to the country’s medal winners in the multi-sporting events held this year.
“As far as I am concerned the athletes come first. If they perform well, the NSFs get recognition. On this basis, the EC recommended to AGM that all medal winners in CWG, Asian Games and Asian Beach Games this year will get cash reward.
Each athlete who won a gold will get Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh for silver winners and Rs 1 lakh for bronze winners,” said the IOA President.
Ramachandran said the IOA will chalk out a plan for the 2020 Olympic Games so that India can win more medals in Rio.
“The aspect of preparation of athletes was debated upon.
It’s basically between NSFs and government to ensure funding.
What I have told the House in conjunction with the Secretary General was that IOA will develop a plan for 2020 Olympics.
2016 is too near, let us be practical,” he said.
“The NSFs are already dealing with the government as far as 2016 Games are concerned. At least for 2020, the IOA will be preparing a plan to go forward.”
Asked about the necessity of helping state units, he said, “Believe me. Running a state Olympic association is a tough job. They get no funding whatsoever either from central or state government. To rectify that only, the IOA has decided to help them by funding Rs 3 lakh each to them.”
Regarding SAF Games, which remained in a limbo since 2012, he said, “It was decided South Asian Games will be held in India in the North East during the end of the next year.”
“As far as National Games are concerned, the Kerala Games will go on as per schedule. This will be followed by Goa, Chhattisgrah and thereafter it has been allotted to Uttarakhand,” said Ramachandran.
The last SAF Games were held in Dhaka in 2010.
Ramachandran said that taking into account former IOA acting chief Vijay Kumar Malhotra’s contribution to the Olympic movement in India, the EC and the AGM decided to confer on him the Life President of the IOA.
“IOA also congratulated Raja Randhir Singh on his becoming a honorary IOC member and on his being awarded the Silver Order of Merit by the IOC recently,” he said.
He also inform that Prime minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the National Games in Kerala beginning January 31 next year.
He refused to be drawn into the issue of national hockey team coach Terry Walsh’s resignation and said the IOA will not interfere into it.
“Hockey India is having their own issue and how can IOA interfere in a matter of NSF affiliated to it. We have to believe in the autonomy of NSFs and it has to be given the autonomy it deserves. IOA cannot monitor, control and interfere in every NSF.” (PTI)