Not aspiring for IOA President's post in 2021: Mittal on feud with Batra

Indian Olympic Association vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal has escalated his bitter feud with Narinder Batra by once again writing to International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach, saying the IOA President's fraud, falsehood, wrongdoing and misdeeds have to be exposed and corrected.

Mittal had earlier called on the IOC Ethics Commission to ban Batra from "Hockey and the Olympic Movement". Following this, Batra wrote to Bach rebuking Mittal's allegations.

Now, in a new letter to Bach, Mittal said: "His (Batra) short reply has exposed his falsehood on facts and since he could not fault my complaint on facts, he has chosen to deflect my complaint by insinuating motives for the complaint."

"The admission in Dr. Batra's message to you, as "Life Member" of Hockey India to Indian Olympic Association exposed his violation of the law of the land, National Sports Code of India, 2011, which does not permit for voting rights of Life Member in any National Sports Federation in the General Assembly."

Mittal further said that he is not aspiring for the post of IOA president in 2021 and so "Dr. Batra can rest in peace on this issue".

"However, his fraud, falsehood, wrongdoing, and misdeeds have to be exposed and corrected thus this crusade," said Mittal.

"I will await his detailed reply so that I'm able to open all my cards with facts and documents which will nail his lies and compel his removal," he added.

Mittal has claimed that there had been "gross violations" in the process which led to Batra being elected IOA President in December 2017. He also claimed that Batra was not eligible to contest the vote for the IOA President or the election for the top job at the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

Batra, however, has denied any wrongdoing. In a whatsapp message to IOC chief, Batra said it was disappointing that Mittal is raising the issue of his ineligibility to stand in the IOA elections 2.5 years after the elections were held on December 14, 2017.