Reports | IOA refuses to confine NSF office-bearersâ age-limit to 70
The Indian Olympic Association has refused the draft suggestion that a member of the National Sports Federation would stand âdisqualifiedâ after he/she reached the age of 70. The association has cited the differing structure of them and International Olympic Committee while stating their decision.
The IOA has submitted its feedback to the draft to the Sports Ministry draft, as reported by Indian Express, opposing both the suggestions. Apart from the age-limit, it was also suggested that the state Olympic Associations be excluded from the association as per the draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports 2017, but even that was rejected.
While denying the age-limit suggestion, IOA stated that despite the norm in the Olympic Charter referring the same, the IOC has never enforced it on all international federations. âConsidering the longevity of a personâs term at the IOC, the rule of relieving membership at the age of 70 years is optimal for the IOC,â the IOA was quoted, reported the Indian Express.
âBut given the differences in the membership and governance structure between the IOC and National Olympic Committee, that rule of age limitation cannot be implemented in toto for all members on the Board in the NOC. If there has to be a limitation, 75 years proposed as the age limit,â it added.
âThe NSFs should be permitted to follow the age limit as per the governance principle of the respective international federations. Besides, there is no law of the land that limits the age of a person for honorary service in a society or non-profit organization,â it further said.
However, the denials arenât final as the Sports Ministry has further delayed the code for the moment and would be forming a new committee to have a relook at the proposed draft. However, there has been no time frame set for it, as per the report.
