Rijiju to form committee to review Sports Code at 'appropriate time'

Promising to review the Sports Code, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said an expert committee will be set up at an "appropriate time". The minister seemed to be "happy and satisfied" after his five-hour-long meeting with various National Sports Federations (NSF) on the issue of practicality of implementation of the Sports Code, which has been vehemently opposed by the later.
"With regards to sports code, we have decided that it is a technical issue it is an issue related to policy and an expert committee will look into the matter at an appropriate time. Along with the Indian Olympic Committee, a technical committee will take a call at an appropriate time... not now. We did not deliberate on this issue today. We deliberated on the issue of promotion of sports and Olympic preparations," Kiren Rijiju told newsperson after the discussions with the representatives of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and National Sports Federations (NSF) in Delhi today.

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IOA President says, "We are satisfied with today's discussion"

IOA president Narendra Batra endorsed Minister's views and said, "We are satisfied with today's discussion. We are all united in our views that an expert committee should be formed at the earliest to review the present Sports Code. I had a very engaging discussion with various Sports Federations and I heard their point of view. I am committed to hammering out a solution and we are on the process of working out some modalities and find a solution with all stakeholders for a way forward which is beneficial to sports & sports federation. The objective is the interest of the sports must be kept in mind when we make a decision. Policies are going to be very broad-based and all the stakeholders are going to have their say," Rijiju said.

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"We are a team," says Sports Minister

"There is nothing called imposition from the Ministry on anybody. The sports federations are run by very learned and experienced people and they also know what is important for people. The governance of the sports federation should be run in a way that it should harm the sports," Sports Minister said adding that the importance of the players was paramount. "We take a decision which may sound like a very good decision but it is not in the interest of the sports then there is no point. The IOA & all the presidents and secretaries and all-important functionaries are here today. This is the first conference I have called today with the IOA and NSFs. This conference will lead to a way forward to thinking unite all of us. Tokyo Olympics is just 9 months away. We have to be mentally & logistically prepared in terms of policymaking and support system. We should be ready. We can't go to Olympics unprepared. We are together. It is not a question of interference. Government provides all sort of help to the federations. Events are held with the permission of the govt. There is no question of interference. We are a team."

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