New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS) The International Golf Federation (IGF) has strongly objected to Indian Olympic Association's interference in the Indian Golf Union elections and recognised the Brijinder Singh-led office bearers, who were ratified by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

IOA had given recognition to the rival IGU faction led by Harish Kumar Shetty following a contentious election process.

IGF executive director Antony Scanlon in a letter to IOA chief PT Usha said the world body fully supports the election won by the Singh faction and said IOA has no jurisdiction over the IGU annual general meeting or its electoral process.

"We write to object in the strongest terms to your interference and that of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in the recent Annual General Meeting and election of office bearers of our National Federation member, the Indian Golf Union (IGU)," Scanlon wrote in a letter.

Two parallel elections had been conducted for the IGU’s governing council under different returning officers (ROs). The Shetty faction’s elections were conducted by retired Allahabad high court judge OP Garg while Singh was re-elected in polls conducted by retired Punjab and Haryana high court judge, Rameshwar Malik.

"The IGF have found no reason to question the legitimacy of the IGU Annual General Meeting and election of the office bearers held on 15 December 2024 at Tamarind Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (where Singh was elected president) and believe they were held in accordance with their constitution and the procedures of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.

"As such, we recognise and fully support the office bearers announced by the Returning Officer HJ Rameshwar Singh Malik and ratified by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. We contend that neither the IOA nor you as President of the IOA has any jurisdiction over the IGU Annual General Meeting nor its electoral process.

"We contend that neither the IOA nor you as President of the IOA has any jurisdiction over the IGU Annual General Meeting nor its electoral process," the letter read.

Scanlon further called the Shetty-led faction's election "non-constitutional and invalid".

"We find it extraordinary that the IOA would actively undermine the IGU electoral process and facilitate a faction holding a non-constitutional and invalid alternate annual general meeting and elections at the premises of the IOA. Additionally, that your interference then extended to wrongly recognising this faction's elections and in tum to undermine the credibility of the constitutionally and fairly elected IGU executive," it read.

"Therefore, the IGF-recognised executive body of the IGU, in accordance with Article 28 of the Olympic Charter, remains the member body for golf affiliated to the IOA. As such to recognise another executive body, not affiliated to the IGF, is in direct contravention of the Olympic Charter. We strongly implore you to immediately rectify this matter."

The IGF executive director further slammed IOA for removing golf from the programme list of the ongoing 38th National Games in Uttarakhand, saying its action is punishing high-performance golf athletes in the country.

"Notwithstanding your spurious intervention in the electoral process of the IGU, we are also extremely disappointed with your decision to remove golf from the programme of sports at the 38th All India Games.

"It is regrettable that your actions serve to punish the athletes for political purposes and in direct conflict with Article 27.2.2 of the Olympic Charter whereby the role of an NOC is "to encourage the development of high-performance sport.."

"This decision does nothing but discourage high-performance golf athletes in India. As such, the IGF implores you to reconsider this decision and to place the athletes' interests above those of personal and political interests," Scanlon wrote.

"The IGF is guided by and believes strongly in the values of Olympism and as such it is regrettable that we find ourselves in disagreement with the IOA and that you choose to act without mutual understanding and respect for the Olympic Charter and for our athletes and National Federation. As such we have been compelled to copy the International Olympic Committee on this letter so as they are aware of your inappropriate actions," he added.

--IANS

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