Abhinav Bindra blames IOA, wants it to be corruption free

New Delhi, Sept 4: Indian athletes have put the onus on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) now and are trying their best to remove corrupt officials from the association in order to overturn the Olympic ban imposed on the country by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Some of the players involved are shooter Abhinav Bindra, wrestler Sushil Kumar and tennis player Mahesh Bhupati.

The IOA was suspended last year by the IOC for electing Lalit Bhanot as its secretary during its controversial December poll, who had served 11 months in jail on corruption charges.

The IOC had then offered an option to IOA asking it to amend its constitution and other rules so that no person charged with corruption can hold office. But the IOA refused to this and said instead proposed an ethics committee that would look into corruption charges against any official who has spent less than two years in jail.

Abhinav Bindra, who won a gold at the Beijing Olympic games in 2008 lamented about the current situation and said that the administrators had failed the country.

Bindra: A lot has to be done for Indian sports

"To a certain extent, yes the IOA has failed the country," he said. He went on to add that a lot has to be done for the Indian sports and we are nowehere close to it.

"We are still fighting about clauses that are non-negotiable in nature, something which is all about ethics," he said.

Bindra, Sushil Kumar and Mahesh Bhupathi along with other athletes are co-sponsoring a petition to ensure that the sporting authority remains free of corruption. The petition was started by Ajay Rao. They are now supported by the Indian governement, demanding that no tainted officials should contest office elections.

The petition is to be sent to Jacques Rogge, IOC President, asking him not to change the IOC's stance on the issue.

Earlier Bindra had tweeted about the petition :

For all those you wish to sign here is the link for a #cleanIOA . http://t.co/MehFk0T6Hf
— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) September 4, 2013

Our petition to @Olympics for a #cleanIOA has more than 11000 supporters. Thank you all for your support!
— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) September 4, 2013

Bindra, blamed IOA for disappointing the country

Abhinav Bindra, who joined the petition, to remove tainted officials from IOA, lamented about the status of the Indian sports.

Bhupati lends his support to wipe out corruption from IOA

Along with Abhinav Bindra, Mahesh Bhupati too supported and signed the petition against corrupt officials holding office in IOA.

Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar against corruption

Sushil Kumar too supported Bindra and Bhupathi, in order for a clean IOA after the International Olympic Committee banned IOA.

Lalit Bhanot contested in December for Secretary's post

Lalit Bhanot, spent 11 months in jail on corruption charges. Post his election, IOC banned IOA from any international sporting events under the country's name.