NEW DELHI: Suresh Kalmadi, the disgraced head of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, described yesterday opposition to his plans to attend the London Olympics as a “vilification campaign.”
An Indian court granted permission Friday to Kalmadi, who is on bail pending trial on fraud charges, to attend the Games, a decision which led to an angry reaction from sports minister Ajay Maken.
Maken insisted the seriousness of the allegations against Kalmadi, who is facing charges of conspiracy, forgery and abuse of power, should preclude his presence at the Olympics in any capacity.
The minister also added that no one tainted by corruption should be allowed to participate in the Olympics.
“I strongly feel that this vilification campaign raised by Maken is meant to cause a split between officials and Indian players participating in the forthcoming London Olympics,” Kalmadi said in televised remarks.
“As per law I am innocent till found guilty. No allegation of corruption has been proved,” he said in the western Indian city of Pune.
Kalmadi’s lawyers had argued he be allowed to attend the London Games as a member of the International Association of Athletics Federation Council and president of the Asian Athletics Association.
Known for his powerful political and sporting connections, Kalmadi was arrested and held in April last year for his role in awarding multi-million-dollar contracts for the Delhi Commonwealth Games.
He was freed on bail in January.
Kalmadi headed the organizing committee for the Delhi Games, an event supposed to showcase India’s status as an emerging power.
Instead, the sporting headlines were stolen by venue delays, shoddy construction and budget overruns in which the cost of the Games tripled to at least $6.0 billion.
India’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Central Vigilance Commission, received complaints alleging up to $1.8 billion of Games money was misused.
