Tainted Suresh Kalmadi loses Asian Athletics Association election

Mangaloretoday/DHNS

Pune, July 1: Commonwealth Games scam tainted Suresh Kalmadi lost the Asian Athletics Association poll on Monday in Pune. The 69-year-old had re-contested for the fourth term as the chief of the body in the elections. Kalmadi lost the election by 2 votes.

Athletics associations from 45 countries were involved in deciding the fate of Kalmadi, who was pitted against the Senior Vice-President of the body and President of the oil-rich Qatar Athletic Association, Brig Dalham al-Hamad.

 

Reacting to Kalmadi’s loss, Clean Sports India (CSI) national convener BVP Rao said, "We are glad that at least the Asian athletic community has taught Kalmadi the lesson that he deserves. It is a very good day for the sporting community. I hope this is the end of the Kalmadi era."

Former Indian athlete Reeth Abraham said, "This calls for a big celebration. Hope his wings are clipped forever."

"Kalmadi should have stepped down on his own. In spite of being an accused, having been in jail, he still wanted to contest. His loss clearly shows no one wanted him around," she added.

With this loss, Kalmadi won’t hold any post in Asian athletics bodies. He won’t be a part of the International Association of Athletics Federation as well, where he had been representing Asia since 2001.

Kalmadi, who was jailed and later released on bail in connection with the Commonwealth Games scam, had been at the helm of affairs of the AAA since 2000. Though he had decided not to hold any sports post in the country, he had sought re-election for the top job of the continental body.

Kalmadi’s candidature had got the backing of the AFI which said it did not want to lose a seat in AAA Council.

The biennial Congress, before the July 3-7 Asian Athletics Championships, at a five-star hotel here is being attended by IAAF President Lamine Diack, besides some top officials from the AAA and the world body. The Congress, which is the governing body of the association, consists of a Council and not more than two delegates from each member of the AAA. However, each member country has only one vote in the elections.

The Athletics Federation of India is being represented by its president Adille Sumariwala and Secretary CK Valson. The other members of the AAA Council - a Senior Vice-President, Five Vice-Presidents and eight Executive Members - will also be elected.