Hockey India strongly opposes Kalmadi's elevation as an IOA life president

New Delhi: Hockey India today strongly opposed the Indian Olympic Association's controversial decision to make scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala its life presidents. In a letter addressed to IOA president N Ramachandran, Hockey India chief Mariamma Koshy expressed the federation's strong opposition to the move. "Hockey India is opposed to the resolution which was passed in haste as last item within half minute and without any discussion by nominating Mr Suresh Kalmadi and Mr Abhay Singh Chautala as Life President of IOA and the meeting was then declared closed after that," Koshy said in the letter. He added, "Kindly put the 3 votes of Hockey India as opposed to the resolution in which Mr Suresh Kalmadi and Mr Abhay Singh Chautala were appointed the Life President of IOA." Koshy took over HI chief's post last month after former boss Narinder Batra was elected as FIH president. It may be noted that Batra had been at loggerheads with Ramachandran for long. Kalmadi and Chautala were elevated to the honorary position at the IOA's Annual General Meeting in Chennai on December 27, shocking the Indian sporting fraternity and leaving the Sports Ministry fuming. The Sports Ministry has issued a show-cause notice to the IOA, threatening derecognition of the sports body if it does not reverse its decision. IOA has been given time till tomorrow to reply to the show-cause notice.