A 20-member delegation led by IOA president Suresh Kalmadi earlier met PM Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention. The sports ministry, however, sought a direct interaction with the IOC on the matter. The government said it would send a detailed response and offered to send an official to IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss the matter.
The sports ministry’s move came after the IOA flaunted letters of support from the IOC and Olympic Council of Asia warning India of serious consequences. “The PM told us that he will look into the matter and get back to us. If you fiddle with the autonomy, you get into trouble,” Mr Kalmadi told reporters.
Age Correspondent