Addressing the "misleading comments" made by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice president Sudhanshu Mittal, body's president Narinder Dhruv Bata on Tuesday said that the former's only intent behind filing a complaint was to "malign" his reputation ahead of the IOA elections, scheduled for 2021.
"The e-mail of Mittal is self-motivated and clearly his intent is to malign my reputation ahead of the Indian Olympic Association elections scheduled for 2021, I felt that it was necessary to briefly address the misleading comments of Mittal in his above-mentioned e-mail to you on June 6," Batra wrote to International Olympic Committee's (IOC) president Thomas Bach.
Mittal, in his complaint to IOC, wrote that Batra gave false declarations and information regarding his association with Hockey India (NSF for Hockey in India) to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as well as to the Indian Olympic Association (National OC in India). Mittal also said that Batra "blatantly" flouted rules.
Denying all the claims, Batra said that Mittal wanted to "damage" his reputation as he intends to stand as a candidate for the post of IOA president in 2021.
"I would personally like to assure you that I have at no stage flouted any of the rules and regulations of the Indian Olympic Association or the International Hockey Federation in my election as president of the Indian Olympic Association which was held on December 14, 2017," Batra said.
"It is disappointing that Mittal, who himself was elected as vice president of the Indian Olympic Association in the same elections, is now trying to damage my image and reputation as a means to project himself as he intends to stand as a candidate for the post of president in the 2021 Indian Olympic Association elections," he said.
Batra further stated that he is currently in quarantine as seven people have tested positive in his house and will send a more detailed reply including the "relevant documents and attachments" to refute the allegations "made by this malicious motivated individual".
( With inputs from ANI )