IOA president Chautala's personal attack on Bindra shocks top athletes
Chautala had criticized the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medallist saying that if Bindra had complaints against tainted officials in the IOA, he should first disown his father who, he said, has been in jail for over a month in a cheque-bouncing case.
Several athletes including shooter Anjali Bhagwat and tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi have hit back at Abhay Singh Chautala - president of the suspended Indian Olympic Association - for his personal remarks against India's ace shooter Abhinav Bindra. (Read: Sports ministry takes dim view of Chautala's attack on Bindra)
Chautala had criticized the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medalist on Friday saying that if Bindra had complaints against tainted officials in the IOA, he should first disown his father who, he said, has been in jail for over a month in a cheque-bouncing case. Under fire from the International Olympic Committee to remove corrupt officials, Chautala's angst was seen as a direct retaliation against Bindra's efforts to unite the sporting fraternity to cleanse IOA. (Related read: Chautala's statement does not deserve a reaction, says Abhinav Bindra)
While Bindra himself refused to comment on the matter saying that Chautala's scathing remarks 'don't deserve a reaction', others were left aghast. "The 140-character limit on twitter doesn't really help with all I want to say about the IOA attacking @Abhinav_Bindra and his family but...I promise you @Abhinav_Bindra you have all the support you need and more. Are and will always remain India's Golden Boy!!" tweeted Bhupathi.
Bhagwat too said that Chautala's comments reflect his precarious situation after the IOC in a letter, clearly told IOA to remove tainted officials. "Passing personal comments doesn't suit a person of his stature. It only shows his guilt and desperation," she said.
Bindra has been at the forefront of mustering support against tainted officials in the IOA and an online campaign started by him has already registered 21,000 signatures in favour of axing charge-sheeted officials. While Chautala has gone to the extent of criticizing Bindra, the shooter's father clarifies saying such comments are completely frivolous.
"It's all absurd. Will anyone believe this? Abhinav is an honest person and his parents are honourable. We are debt-free entities and we owe no bank nothing. Such propaganda which has no connection to IOA is false, frivolous and unfounded," AS Bindra said.
Meanwhile, according to a report in a national daily, lawyers of AS Bindra are contemplating legal action against Chautala. "These comments are defamatory and untrue. If he has said what is being reported then a criminal defamatory action may be taken if he doesn't apologise," lawyer Sanjiv Sen was quoted as saying.