With eyes on Olympics, IOA chief Narinder Batra hopeful of sorting NSF recognition issues

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra is hopeful that the issues regarding the recognition of National Sports Federations (NSF) with the Sports Ministry will be solved in the next two-three weeks so that the athletes can resume their preparations for next year's Tokyo Olympic Games without any hindrance.

"I am in touch with the concerned people in the sports ministry. Keeping in mind preparations for 2021 Olympics and if all goes well, I am hopeful of all these issues getting resolved in next two to three weeks," Batra said in a statement.

On Thursday, the Sports Ministry -- acting on the direction of the Delhi High Court -- provisionally withdrew the annual recognition granted to 54 NSFs.

Sports Ministry Deputy Secretary S.P.S. Tomar, in a letter to SAI Director General Sandeep Pradhan, said: "I am directed to refer to this ministry's letter of even dated 02.06.2020 regarding renewal of annual recognition of National Sports Federations for the year 2020 and to say that in compliance of the order dated 24.06.2020 passed by the Hon'ble Delhi Court, the department's letter of even number dated 02.06.2020 granting provisional annual recognition of 54 NSFs stands withdrawn."

The High Court had directed the ministry to revoke the provisional recognition it had given to 54 NSFs on May 11. The court had said that the ministry by doing so has not complied with an order that was issued on February 7 this year.

The order had required the ministry and the IOA to "inform the court in advance" while taking "any decision in relation to the NSFs."

The ministry usually provides recognition until the end of the year but it had in this instance only given it provisionally until the end of the year.

The Tokyo Olympics were slated to be held in July-August this year but had to be postponed to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.