The Indian Olympic Association has replaced senior officials of the Taekwondo team at the National Games following serious allegations of manipulation and match-fixing.
The Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) has appointed S. Dinesh Kumar as the Director of Competition for Taekwondo, replacing T. Praveen Kumar, following strong recommendations from the three-member Prevention of Manipulation of Competition (PMC) Committee, according to a press release from the Indian Olympic Association.
GTCC Chairperson Sunaina Kumari said that she and her colleagues had decided to accept the recommendations made by the three-person PMC panel. “It is important that we take on board the PMC Committee’s recommendations and protect the integrity of the 38th National Games Uttarakhand. In addition to receiving complaints against the former Director of Competition, we were also shocked to discover that he had appointed office-bearers and executive committee members of some State Associations, as well as an equipment vendor for the selection trials, as Sports Specific Volunteers,” she said.
Backing the GTCC’s decision to replace the Director of Competition and change some technical officials, Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha emphasised the importance of all stakeholders upholding the spirit of sport and ensuring all competitors have a fair chance to showcase their talent on the biggest stage in the country. “It is shocking and sad that National Games medals were allegedly decided away from the field of play even before the competitions began. At the Indian Olympic Association, we are committed to being fair to all our athletes and protecting them from individuals attempting to manipulate the competition and tarnish the image of the National Games,” Usha said, as quoted in the release.
Acting on complaints, the PMC Committee made four recommendations to prevent disputes that could affect the conduct of the National Games due to unethical practices.
The first recommendation was for the IOA to replace the Director of Competition with a suitable candidate in consultation with the Games Technical Conduct Committee. Further, it suggested to the IOA President that at least 50 per cent of the nominated Technical Officials be replaced with qualified officials holding international or national certifications.
The PMC Committee also recommended that the entire competition be recorded on video, with the footage preserved for reference if needed. Finally, the panel advised that a team of officials nominated by the GTCC be present at the venue throughout the competition to minimise the scope for manipulation and give all athletes a fair chance at winning medals.
The PMC panel had reviewed complaints that some officials appointed by the Taekwondo Federation of India had already predetermined the outcomes of matches in 10 of the 16 weight categories before the competition was set to begin. “The asking price is Rs. 3 lakh for a gold medal, Rs. 2 lakh for silver, and Rs. 1 lakh for bronze,” the IOA was informed, as stated in the release.
As many as 16 Kyorugi and 10 Poomsae Taekwondo competitions will be held at Milam Hall in the Sports Complex in Haldwani from February 4 to 8.
