Badminton Association of India seeks Indian Olympic Association chief N Ramachandran's ouster

The Badminton Association of India has joined others in mounting the pressure on the Indian Olympic Association(IOA) chief N Ramachandran

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS): Piling further pressure on Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president N. Ramachandran, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) on Tuesday raised the issue of a no-confidence motion against the national Olympic body chief.

The move comes after various state Olympic associations and Hockey India (HI) asked for a Special General Body Meeting (SGBM) to be called to set things right within the IOA.

"As per Rule Viii(9) and (ii) of the IOA constitution, we, the Badminton Association of India, are moving a vote of no confidence against N. Ramachandran, president, IOA," BAI president Akhilesh Das Gupta wrote in a letter addressed to the IOA.

"We request you to convene the Special General Meeting (SGM) of IOA at the earliest to discuss on the vote of confidence against N. Ramachandran, president, IOA."

Earlier, Hockey India (HI) demanded that a no-confidence motion be moved against Ramachandran. HI president Narinder Batra on Thursday initiated a move for an SGBM to discuss Ramachandran's future.

Batra said he didn't endorse Ramachandran's style of functioning which, he said, has weakened the IOA.

The discontent within the IOA swelled during the recent visit of International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach.

Members of the IOA, representatives of the National Sports Federations (NSFs) and state units were not only peeved over the "lack of protocol" towards Bach but also with the treatment meted out to them during their meeting with the IOC supremo.