Bharti, Kalmadi patch-up

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Uma Bharti, who is also chairperson of the first Afro-Asian Games organising committee, and Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi on Friday decided to put aside personal differences and work together towards the success of the November 3 to 11 Games.

While Kalmadi had accused Bharti of usurping the authority of the IOA and taking away from the body the power of decision-making, Bharti had alleged that Kalmadi was trying to sell the contract for hosting facilities to private hotels and hand over the telecast rights to private television channels.

On Friday afternoon the IOA held an emergency executive meeting at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to flex its muscles and tell Bharti that she has no business in interfering with the Games.

However, just before the meeting began Bharti made a surprise visit to the venue of the meeting and talked with Kalmadi and assured him that the new guidelines, which the government had issued regarding holding of the elections to various sports federations/associations in the presence of a government nominee, have been stayed.

"She also assured us that the new guidelines would be framed after consultations with various sports bodies after the Afro-Asian Games," a beaming Kalmadi told newsmen after the meeting.

Asked if the fight was over control of the financial aspect of Games, Kalmadi replied in the negative.

"No, certain basic issues were involved. The IOA alone can't host the Games. Even now there is a government nominee who will control the finance," he clarified, adding "the executive committee has authorised myself, Randhir Singh and Vijay Kumar Malhotra, all senior members of the IOA, to deal with any contingency and take decisions."

Kalmadi informed the media that the tennis doubles championships, to be held in Bangalore, will not clash with the Games as it has been alloted new dates.

However, he said: "Pakistan has refused to change the dates of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament."

With just two months left for the staging of the Afro-Asian Games he said the key functionaries of the oraganising committee would meet every Monday to take up various matters and monitor the progress of the work on a "week-to-week basis".

"Till the games are over, all the key office-bearers will be in India and not go abroad," he declared.

Meanwhile, the State-owned Air India will be the official carrier for Games. A Memorandum of Understanding to this effect was signed between the Afro-Asian Games Organising Committee secretary- general Randhir Singh and Air India managing director G N Gogoi on Friday.

The travel of sport persons and accompanying officials will be arranged by Air India through issuance of Pre-paid Ticket Advice (PTAs) from points of origin of the passengers to the destination.