After the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked its member federations not to grant India hosting rights to any international sporting event involving Kosovo, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has now decided to look for solutions to come out of this quandary.
The IOC’s decision comes after India denied a visa to a Kosovan women boxer to participate in AIBA Women’s World Championship, which India hosted last month.
Kosovo could not participate at the boxing event after their sole representative Donjeta Sadiku was refused a visa by the Indian government, which doesn’t recognize the European country, Indian news agency PTI reported.
The IOC has asked all the International Federations (IFs) to get a written undertaking from the Indian authorities for equal participation before allotting the country any world event involving Kosovo, PTI wrote.
The Indian Olympic Association will have its General Body Meeting on Dec. 22, where it will discuss this issue. One of the items of the agenda of the General Body Meeting reads: “Participation of sporting delegations and athletes in international sports events – the principle of autonomy and non-discrimination – IOC letter 19 November 2018.”
“It is a serious matter and the IOA GBM will discuss it threadbare,” PTI reported IOA Secretary General Rajiv Mehta as telling. “We have already written a letter to the sports ministry on this issue. The GBM will decide what course of action needs to be taken. The IOC can take action against India if this issue is not resolved.”