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PETITIONER: MADHYA PRADESH TRIATHLON ASSOCIATION THROUGH ITS SECRETARY &

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: INDIAN TRIATHLON FEDERATION & ORS. ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       08/11/1996

BENCH: K. RAMASWAMY, G.B. PATTANAIK

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                             WITH          TRANSFER PETITION (C) NOs. 384-396 OF 1996                          O R D E R      It is  rather unfortunate and we feel that every Indian citizen would  feel ashamed  of the  fact that  not even  on sports-person out  of the huge population of 94 crores would find a  place in the victory stand in the Olympic Games 1996 held at Atlanta. Instead, all these Associations are busy in the court  proceedings and  spending  their  spirit  on  the litigation instead  of inculcating  spirit of  sports in the track and  field. These  cases are  some  instances  of  the deplorable state  of affairs.  But, it is heartening to note that all  of them  have agreed  for the  settlement  of  the disputes  in  terms  of  Rule  XIX  of  the  Indian  Olympic Association Rules which reads as under:      "Settlement  of  Disputes/Conflicts      in     the      National     Sports      Federations/State           Olympic      Associations      (i)  All      National       sports      federations/     Associations/State      Olympic Associations  affiliated to      I.O.A.  shall   include  in   their      Constitution a  provision that  the      Federations/   Associations   would      have   all    unresolved   disputes      settled by  the I.O.A.,  and  their      Members shall voluntarily surrender      their right  of seeking  redress in      any Court or Law.      (ii) Every Member  shall be  deemed      to continue  its membership  of the      I.O.A. on  the  specific  condition      that it  voluntarily surrenders its      right of  seeking  redress  in  any      Court of Law.      (iii)   All   unresolved   disputes      arising within  the National Sports      Fedrations/Associations/State      Olympic Association  affiliated  to

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    the IOA,  shall be  referred by the      Federations/Associations to the IOA      for settlement by the IOA. For this      purpose, the IOA Executive Council,      on recommendation  of the president      IOA, shall recommend 9 names to the      disputing parties,  to  select  one      name,   consultation    with    the      president IOA,  which is acceptable      to   both    the    parties.    The      Arbitration  proceedings  shall  be      completed   within    the    period      specified  by   the  IOA  Executive      Council. President  IOA,  based  on      the circumstances  of the case, has      the authority  to extend,  or vary,      the period.      (IV) In the  even of  an unresolved      dispute within  an affiliated  Unit      of IOA by Member, and which affects      normal  working  to  the  Unit,  or      prevents preparation  and  training      of the  sport/team under the charge      of  the   Unit  for   purposes   of      international       representation/      Competition,  the   IOA   Executive      Council will  constitute an  ad-hoc      body from within the Members of the      General   Assembly,   as   may   be      necessary until  the dispute within      the Unit is resolved.      (v)  All disputes  between National      Sports Federations/Associations and      the IOA,  or within the IOA itself,      will be  dealt  with  in  the  same      manner as laid down in (iii) above.      In the  furtherance thereof  the  Annual  General  Body meeting of IOA held on November 29, 1995 decided as under:      "Dispute   in   Federations/Olympic      Associations      Regarding the  disputes  in  Indian      Triathlon Federation, Uttar Pradesh      Olympic  Association   and  J  &  K      Olympic    Association    Dr.    B.      Sivanthi  Adityan  stated  that  he      would appoint a tow or three member      Committee which  will be  requested      to submit  its  report  before  the      next Executive  Council meeting  of      the IOA.      Decision:      The   President,    IOA,   is    to      constitute a  two or  three  member      committee to  look into all aspects      or   disputes    and   submit   its      recommendations       for       the      consideration  of   the   Executive      Council IOA.      In the  light of  the above  decision,  we  direct  the President of  IOA to  flow the  procedure prescribed in Rule XIX referred  to hereinbefore,  in particular  clauses  (i), (ii) and  (iii) and  appoint and  Arbitration Board in terms thereof.      The Transfer Petitions are accordingly disposed or. All the suits  are transferred  to  the  Arbitration  Board.  No

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costs.      In view  of the  order passed  by us on 4.11.1996, Shri Ranjit Kumar,  learned counsel  has  appeared  for  all  the respondents though  he states  that he  did not  receive any instruction from  any  one  of  them.  He  acted  merely  on directions of this Court.