AAI president BVP Rao resigns after Supreme Court verdict

The apex court of India has decided to set aside the constitution of the Archery Association of India (AAI) as amended by administrator SY Quraishi which was amended by the Delhi High Court. Now, the Supreme Court judges have announced that the fresh elections are to be held in four weeks time for the office bearers of the AAI and the president of the association BVP Rao has stepped down from his position protesting against the system followed in Indian sports.

“I’m resigning with immediate effect in protest against the Indian sports system which does not allow competent people to come in. If such people come in, it [sports system] hinders in the way of functioning,” Rao told PTI.

The Indian archers will now have a completely different administrative set-up before the start of the World Championship from June 10. Rao was elected as a president of the association on December 22, 2018, in the elections which were held under the supervision of Quraishi. The elections ended Vijay Kumar Malhotra’s term in the association who headed it for 40 years from 1973 to 2012.

However, the elections were not approved by the World Archery which stated that the constitution used was never formally approved by the General Assembly of the AAI. The world body had also hinted at a suspension of the national archery body. The Sports Ministry of India and the Indian Olympic Association are yet to recognise the elections. The Sports Ministry has also decided not to include AAI among the recognised national federations.