New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has officially recognized the Indian Golf Union (IGU) faction led by Harish Kumar Shetty following an extensive review of the contentious December 15 elections. This decision comes after the IOA “reviewed the facts” and “examined the procedural adherence” of the parallel polls held by rival factions.
Two Elections, Two Leaders
The dispute began when two separate elections were held on the same day by different factions. The Harish Kumar Shetty faction conducted its elections under the supervision of retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice OP Garg, while the incumbent president Brijender Singh’s group held its elections under Justice Rameshwar Malik, a retired judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
IOA’s Endorsement of Harish Kumar Shetty
In a letter signed by IOA president PT Usha, the association validated the elections conducted under Justice OP Garg, citing procedural accuracy and adherence to the IGU’s Article 22. “Usha said, “The Returning Officer, who was first formally appointed, was the qualified individual to conduct the election as announced by the IGU because he had never quit as the IGU claimed.
The IOA officially recognized Harish Kumar Shetty as the elected President of IGU, alongside Basant Kumar Repswal (Secretary General) and Manoj Joshi (Honorary Treasurer).
Brijender Singh’s Rebuttal
Brijender Singh, who was re-elected in the parallel elections, dismissed the IOA’s recognition as “meaningless and frivolous.” Singh argued that the IOA president does not have the authority to recognize or derecognize federation elections and cited a Delhi High Court decision upholding Justice Malik’s appointment as the Returning Officer.
Singh further claimed that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) observer, SPS Tomar, was present at his election and not at Shetty’s, which he argued invalidated Shetty’s elections under the national sports code.
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What’s Next?
Singh’s faction has announced plans to write to the IOA to contest the decision.
“We will respond to IOA’s letter as quickly as possible since we do not want to exacerbate the matter. The reaction from IOA will determine our next move,” Singh said.
Conclusion
As the IOA officially recognizes Harish Kumar Shetty as IGU President, the leadership dispute remains far from resolved. Both factions continue to present their arguments, and the matter may see further escalation if a consensus isn’t reached soon.