In what surely must be the ultimate twist of irony, Suresh Kalmadi, disgraced former head of the Delhi Commonwealth Games organising committee and sidelined president of the Indian Olympic Association, has sought — and received — permission from a Delhi court to visit London for the 2012 Olympic Games. Predictably, this has kicked off no end of a fuss but like a good politician, Mr Kalmadi has not only shrugged off the barbs, but also asked for the head of sports minister Ajay Maken, who had quite rightly suggested that a man with such a tainted record shouldn’t be allowed to represent India in any capacity.
Lost in all this is the role of the International Amatuer Athletics Federation, which not only invited the sacked sports administrator to attend its council meeting as president of the Asian Athletics Association, but also sent him tickets, which Mr Kalmadi placed before the court to strengthen his case. The IAAF is part of the International Olympic Council, and thus might be expected to subscribe to its high ideals. Instead, we see a sports body, which is also being investigated for foreign exchange violations, giving its tainted Indian head honcho a lifeline and the chance to re-establish his credibility.
None of this will please the London Games organisers, who already have their hands full with the Dow Chemicals sponsorship controversy and a veritable who’s who of internationally-reviled personalities lining up to visit the British capital as guests of either the organising committee itself or the IOC.