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IOC to probe corruption charges against Kalmadi

March 14, 2011 17:52 IST

The International Olympic Committee will look into the charges of corruption against Indian Olympic Committee president Suresh Kalmadi in the organisation of the Commonwealth Games.

The IOC's decision was conveyed to the IOA recently.

- Commonwealth Games 2010

Speaking to rediff.com, a senior official of the IOA said the IOC has asked its Ethos Committee to conduct its own probe on Kalmadi, who was chairman of the organizing committee for the Games Delhi hosted last year.

The IOC has taken serious view of the investigation launched by the Central Bureau of Investigation against top officials of Commonwealth Games organizing committee and the number of FIRs registered, which led to the arrest of Lalit Bhanot, former secretary-general of the CWG, and other officials now cooling their heels in Delhi's Tihar jail.

The investigating agency is believed to be in possession of incriminating documents and an e-mail from London-based firm A M Films alleging payment of 50,000 pounds to Kalmadi.

"The main aim of the Ethos Committee is to eradicate corruption from sports bodies," the IOA official said.

Meanwhile, a sizeable number of members of the Indian Olympic Committee are believed to be discussing how Kalmadi can be stripped of the IOA presidency.

"There is deep resentment amongst the officials and sports bodies about the manner in which the country's premier sports body has been brought into disrepute by Kalmadi and his henchmen. I can tell you for sure that when the general body of the IOA meets he is not going to get re-elected. We all want him to quit as chief of the IOA," the senior IOA office-bearer said.

Onkar Singh New Delhi