SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
PANJIM, APRIL 7
The 50th Senior National Bodybuilding Championship to be held in Margao from April 9-11, has not been recognised by Indian Body Building Federation (IBBF), stated a press release issued here on Wednesday.
Suresh Kadam, general secretary, IBBF stated that the IBBF is a duly recognised body under the Society and Public Trust Act XXI of 1860 and XXIX respectively. He also claimed that it is recognized by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and affiliated to Asian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (ABFF) which is in turn recognised by Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and it is also recognized by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, New Delhi.
“The organisation of the event in Goa by a parallel federation is illegal and moreover the new federation has been set up only in 2005 and as such the event cannot be counted as 50th,” Kadam alleged and claimed that the new body does not have the recognition from either the IOA or Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
IIBF vice-president, Sandesh Narvekar from Goa, disclosed that the IBBF had already written to Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat that no grant-in-aid should be released to any other federation other than the IBBF for organising nationals. He also stated that the matter was brought also to the notice of SAG’s Executive Director, V M Prabhudesai.
Narvekar pointed out that the certificates issued to sportspersons other than those issued by IBBF will not have official recognition and as such there will be questions over their validity especially when it comes to benefits like quota for sportspersons for employment.
The senior national body building championship organised by IBBF will be held in Guhuwati, Assam from May 7-9. It is a recognized event and Goan body builders will have a chance to participate in the same, Narvekar added.
To drive home the point that only IBBF is the recognized body in India by IOA, ABFF, OCA, Narvekar pointed out to the recent participation of India team in world championship held in Dubai.”I was the Indian official for the event,” Narvekar stated.
Speaking about the grant-in-aid, Narvekar said that no association which has been granted provisional membership can be released grants by Sports Authority of Goa (SAG). The association, he said was registered only on February 13, 2009 and as such, even the Goa Olympic Association (GOA) has granted them provisional membership on February 15, 2009, he alleged.
“It is the SAG that disburses the grants and I have done my duty, to bring to their notice the irregularity in the matter, if at all any grant is being even contemplated to be released,” Narvekar stressed and added that the IBBF is also affiliated to World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Federation (WBPF) and South Asian Bodybulding and Fitness Federation (SABBF).
