Sack Kalmadi to save the game

New Delhi, (DMA Newsdesk): October 20, 2009  The controversy raised as a result of the slanging match between 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi and the Commonwealth Games Federation bosses should not be as alarming for those who have been following the tardy progress on the Commonwealth Games infrastructure. The inevitable which has finally come to the surface could be avoided only if there had been a proper selection procedure or some kind of a scrutiny before appointing the head for an event of such an International stature.

The nation at least could have been saved from such an international embarrassment if the autocratic functioning of Kalmadi curbed by the Centre long ago. It was important for the Government to question the capability and experience of the person who is given control of an event which makes or jeopardizes the country’s image irrespective of the fact that Olympic Associations and Games Federations are completely independent in their functioning .

Suresh Kalmadi, a businessman turned politician to be rightly termed as ‘Business Politician”, a career businessman who has taken up politics to suit his own business goals suddenly becomes the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee. The intentions of the man can who ask for the removal of the CEO of CGF and further refuses to acknowledge the Technical Review Panel under needs to be questioned because his basic integrity is in doubt.

It is high time the Central Government should step in and ensure that an Independent Administrator replaces Suresh Kalmadi to head the Organising Committee backed strongly by the Centre to complete the works and take absolute control of the forthcoming concerns such as coordinate the security arrangements besides all other steps to ensure smooth functioning of the games. It is time to appoint administrators in every stadium with an independent charge and complete authority and accountability to complete the balance work, if any.

The Centre should immediately and before October 28, 2009 not only replace Kalmadi but also form a Special Organising Committee on the lines of IXth Asian Games Special Organising Committee roping in Rahul Gandhi, Mani Shankar Aiyar, K.P. Singh Deo, K.S. Bains, R. Ramakrishna and Subroto Basu at the helm of affairs. This is legally possible and pertinent even at this stage.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister M S Gill said today the bitter war of words between 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi and Games Federation CEO Mike Hooper should not have happened. He promised to do all he can to resolve the issues between the two.
“Whatever has happened is not right and shouldn’t have happened,” Gill told reporters at the airport here after arriving from Kochi

“I just want to say that on October 29, I am going to London for the Queen’s Baton Relay and there I will meet Commonwealth Games Federation chief Mike Fennell and Kalmadi and I will talk to them and try to resolve the matter. I will listen to both the sides,” he said.
It’s unfortunate that this very public controversy has rocked the Games preparations. The whole thing started after the September 10 meeting between Fennell and government of India officials. A letter which Fennell wrote came into public domain, which showed how worried he was about the preparations.

Government officials had intense meetings after that – at various levels. We met the Prime Minister and had a long (one and a half hours) meeting. Several decisions were taken to ensure that organization of the Games was handled efficiently.

Keeping in mind directions from the PM, we met Kalmadi. It was at OCs request to strengthen its internal system that Jarnail Singh was appointed as the CEO of OC. Jarnail has a lot of experience and is an efficient administrator.

He has served in Manipur for 22 years and was in the PMO for eight years. Three more senior officers will be appointed to work with Jarnail in OC.

Jarnail will now be above VK Verma (director-general) in the committee.

Commonwealth Games Chief Executive Officer Mike Hooper Thursday vehemently refuted the charges levelled by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi of being an “impediment” in the preparation of the 2010 Games, saying they are “unwanted, unfair and unjust.”
“I am very disappointed, I deplore Mr. Kalmadi’s comments. They are unwanted, unfair and unjust. I refute them 100 per cent. I have done nothing but support the Organising Committee,” Hooper said.
“When Mr Michael Fennell’s (CGF president) letter to the Prime Minister was leaked, the organisers said it was a ‘wake-up call’ in a press conference. It is disappointing to see that instead of addressing the issue raised, it has been used to launch a personal attack on the CEO of the organisation.
“But I remain steadfast to the responsibility given to me by the CGF. My job is to push for delivery of the work and I am committed to it. I am in touch with my board and I have their backing. I am committed to the issues at hand and I am not interested in making any personal remarks. I continue to be a stakeholder,” he said.
Kalmadi had remarked that Hooper’s presence has not been beneficial.
However, Hooper is optimistic of the Games being a success.
“If you ask me whether India is ready for the Games today, my answer is no. Let us not kid ourselves. We all know a lot needs to be done. Like Mr Fennell said that time is our biggest enemy and every hour counts,” he said.
“But I am heartened at the same time by the assurances we got from Sports Minister M.S. Gill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to do everything to make the Games successful.”