The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Sunday urged the Sports Ministry to provide one-time financial assistance to the IOA, National Sports Federations (NSFs) and the state Olympic associations to overcome the crisis created by the Covid-19 epidemic. The IOA said that sponsors will not be able to come forward to help sports associations till next year and government assistance has become very important. IOA President Narinder Batra has written a letter to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju citing sports activities caused by Covid-19 as saying that if the assistance is not provided then the games will be smooth after the removal of the lockdown imposed for virus prevention. It will be difficult to start with form.
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Batra has requested the ministry to give Rs 10 crore to the IOA, Rs 5 crore to each Olympic NSF, Rs 2.50 crore to each non-Olympic NSF and Rs 1 crore to each State Olympic Association (SOA). By combining all these, this amount becomes approximately 220 crores. Batra wrote, "Due to this pandemic and lockdown there is no possibility of sports organizations getting any kind of sponsorship and it will be very difficult for us to start our activities effectively." No sponsorship is expected till or after the Olympics and we will need assistance from the central government.
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Batra said that this help will enable him to get out of the present-day financial crisis. He said, "The world is facing the most difficult time due to the Covid-19 epidemic. It has affected (epidemic) business, employment as well as sports activities in the respective nations." Batra said, "All the competitions and related activities have come to a standstill and the IOA, NSF and SOA have to start again. Financial assistance will be required."
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Batra, who is also the head of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), said that the IOA is ready to audit it when the funds are allocated. He said, "When the restrictions are over after the epidemic, then we will have to start again and rebuild. There will be a number of conditions for the daily operations and money will be required to implement them. To provide us a duly certified and verified certificate from the CAG approved auditor regarding the use of the funds." There would be no disagreement. He had deposited Rs 9.5 crore. The Sports Ministry officer declined to comment on this demand. He said that he has not received anything in writing from the IOA so far.
