Stormy IOA meeting expected to decide Kalmadi's fate

Faced with intense pressure from the IOC to act against Suresh Kalmadi, the Indian Olympic Association's Executive Board meets in New Delhi on Friday to decide the fate of its tainted President who has not formally resigned from the post yet.

The IOC has written three letters to the IOA, threatening to act on its own if the national sports apex body does not explain what action it was planning to take against Kalmadi who is facing corruption charges related to the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010.

The Kalmadi issue will be debated at length during the meeting and the members will be apprised of the three letters by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The ratification of its newly-formed Ethics Commission and framing of the rules and regulations for the various Commissions were also listed in the agenda.

The run-up to the crucial meeting has been marked by bitter internal wranglings between the pro-Kalmadi and the rival factions and Friday's meeting is expected to be stormy.

Despite the pressure from the IOC, Kalmadi, who spent nine months in jail because of corruption charges in the hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, has not resigned from the IOA President's post.

The sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman had recently shot off a letter to IOA Acting-President V K Malhotra, stating that he will not exert his rights and obligations as President of the IOA.

"The Kalmadi issue will be discussed at length. We will hear the views of all the members before taking a decision. But we have to realise that a person is innocent till proven guilty", a top IOA official said.