New Delhi: In a controversial decision, 2010 Commonwealth Games scam accused and former Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi was appointed the life president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Abhay Chautala, another corruption-tainted official, was also made the life president by the IOA. Sources in the IOA told News18 that the selections were unanimous.

Reacting to the news, Sports Minister Vijay Goel said: “We are shocked at the resolution passed by IOA to make Kalmadi and Chautala life presidents. It is totally unrespectable. We shall review the situation and take necessary action. We have asked for the report... will also talk to the IOA office bearers and take necessary steps (sic).”

Shocked by SureshKalmadi & AbhayChautala's appointment as IOA life presidents;both face serious corruption charges,will seek a report+action — Vijay Goel (@VijayGoelBJP) December 27, 2016

Former Indian hockey captain Rajpal Singh told News18.com that such appointments will continue until sportspersons are elected to federations.

"Whenever a sportsperson has tried to contest elections, they haven't found any support. Even the great Chanakya said that good people need to come forward and enter politics, otherwise the bad will continue to rule the good," the Arjuna awardee said.

Activist lawyer Rahul Mehra, who was one of the 12 members of a working group that drafted the Sports Bill, called this a dark day for Indian sports. Mehra said that there was not a single credible voice left in the IOA and requested the courts and sports ministry to step in.

"There is a process of transformation that took place because the IOA was suspended by the International Olympic Committee after Abhay Chautala contested the IOA elections despite being charge-sheeted. And after the entire cleansing took place, these people are circumventing the law to get back to positions of power."

"This is coming at a time when the entire country is celebrating sports through the release of Dangal. It is a shameful act and the biggest betrayal of the Indian sports fan," Mehra said.

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Before Kalmadi and Chautala, only Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who served as acting IOA chief between 2011 and 2012, was made the Life President, according to IOA's official website.

Kalmadi served as IOA president from 1996 to 2011 and was jailed for 10 months for his involvement in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games corruption scandal but later released on bail.

The Pune-born administrator, also a former Congress Member of Parliament, was a powerful sports official in his heydays. He was the president of Asian Athletics Association for 13 years from 2000 to 2013. He was last year made Life President of the Asian athletics body last year.

ALSO READ | It is totally unacceptable, says Sports Minister Vijay Goel

Kalmadi, now 72, was also a member of the powerful ruling council of the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) from 2001 to 2013.

Chautala served as the president of Indian Olympic Association from December 2012 to February 2014 when the IOA was suspended by the parent International Olympic Committee for fielding charge-sheeted candidates at the elections. His election as IOA chief was annulled by the IOC.

Only after the IOA Constitution was amended to ensure that charge-framed candidates are not allowed to contest elections, the IOC revoked the suspension on IOA in February 2014.

Chautala had served as president of erstwhile Indian Amateur Boxing Federation which was terminated from recognition in the world body AIBA in 2013 for possible manipulation in IABF elections.

Recently, he was elected as president of one rival faction of the Haryana Olympic Association, which was reportedly given recognition by the IOA.

(With PTI inputs)

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