Vijayawada: The Indian Olympic Association has recognised the AP Olympic Association (APOA), linked to Guntur MP, Galla Jayadev’s group. A senior officer from the SAAP confirmed this adding that the IOA has asked Galla Jayadev’s APOA body to pay the remaining fee Rs 4.5 Crore to IOA, which further facilitates the state government to go for National Games in 2018, in the state. But the High Court had directed the IOA to recognise another MP, C.M. Ramesh’s side of the APOA.
The Chief Minister had asked both the MPs to withdraw from sports associations and entrusted the responsibility to Sports Minister, K Atchannaidu. Later developments couldn’t deliver the anticipated results and the CM entrusted the responsibility to Finance Minister, Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.
Sharing the details of the recent developments that took place in Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP), after the exit of G. Rekha Rani, as VC&MD, a senior officer said that now the state government has decided to convene an elaborate meeting with all the stake holders to elicit their opinion on the new sports policy-2016 draft. This meeting is reportedly aimed at convincing all the stake holders of the state’s proposed MoU with Gopichand Sports (GS), as the MoU speaks about only ‘guidance’ from GS over developing sports infrastructure in the State.
Out of 57 sports associations, around 50 associations have been opposing the move of handing over the development of sports infrastructure work across all the districts in the state, without calling for tenders. However, the SAAP’s new VC and MD, N Bangarraju told this correspondent that they had only ‘briefed’ the representatives of the associations about the new sports policy details.
APOA Treasurer, K.P. Rao, termed the proposed meeting as a ‘conspiracy’ by the Sports Secretary, to implement his agenda in the name of Gopichand Sports. When asked about the note sent by the Sports Secretary to the former VC and MD, G Rekha Rani, to sign the MoU draft and sent it back to the government, Bangarraju said that he had no idea about the same. He later clarified that this meeting was aimed at explaining the salient features of the new sports policy-2016. He has declined comment on the controversy over the intervention of two TD MPs in the APOA affairs.
