No difference of opinion with IOA president Narinder Batra on 2022 Commonwealth Games boycott call, clarifies Secretary General Rajeev Mehta

The Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta on Monday clarified that he has no difference of opinion with his president Narinder Batra on the boycott call of 2022 Commonwealth Games for dropping shooting from the roster. Mehta said that he has been misquoted in some reports when he spoke about the issue of CWG boycott in an event in Chennai. [caption id=“attachment_3102948” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Narinder Batra. Image Credit: FIH[/caption] “I have been misquoted in the reports which are appearing. I have not said those words attributed to me. There is no difference of opinion (with the president) on the issue of 2022 CWG boycott call,” Mehta told PTI. “What I have said was, when there is any major decision to be taken, the Executive Committee and then the AGM takes the final call,” he added. Mehta also sent an e-mail to Batra, saying that he has been misquoted in the reports. “As discussed, I am confirming again that I did not speak such sentences to any reporter. I was also equally shocked to see that article,” he wrote. “I only mentioned about EC (Executive Committee)… I am always with you.” Mehta had said in an event in Chennai on 4 October that the Executive Committee and general body of the IOA will deliberate on Batra’s call to permanently pull out of the Commonwealth Games. “Everything will be discussed in the meeting of the executive committee and the AGM. I have seen a lot of reports in the press on (the issue). Everything will be discussed,” he had said. But some reports had quoted Mehta as saying that “the boycott call should be considered his (Batra’s) personal comments” and no decision has been taken as yet. Batra recently said that the Commonwealth Games is a waste of time and the country should consider a permanent pullout. He said the level of competition at the CWG is not particularly high and that India should consider a pullout to improve its own standards. The call had evoked mixed reactions from sportspersons and administrators. Just after shooting was removed from the 2022 CWG roster, Mehta had said that the IOA will not be averse to taking an unprecedented step, including pulling out of the Birmingham Games.