Sports federations under close watch: Dhindsa

In wake of the Central Bureau of Investigation's damning report against the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa on Monday said the government is keeping a close watch on other sports federations in the country.

"The Sports Ministry is keeping a close watch on these federations while examining the drawbacks of their autonomous status," Dhindsa said while announcing he will be calling a meeting of the presidents of all the federations on November 21.

The minister said the federations should understand their responsibility. "It is not that nobody is keeping you under watch. This is precisely the reason why the government was keen on putting in place a National Sports Policy -- to bring in the accountability clause introduced," he said.

He said the November 21 meeting will discuss performances of the teams sent by these federations to various national and international events. "We will see how best we can make them accountable."

He said the CBI report is being discussed by the public, and Parliament should also discuss the issues pertaining to application of accountability by the federations.

The views of the presidents of the federation will be taken into account while framing the National Sports Policy, Dhindsa said.

The CBI has severely criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India for "underselling" Indian cricket as far as "guarantee money" is concerned.