Will cooperate with CBI enquiry: IOA Joint Secretary

Supporting the enquiry led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against two doctors who were sent by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to the Rio Olympics, Joint Secretary of the Association, Anandeshwar Pandey said that everyone must cooperate and support the enquiry by the former, adding the sent doctors are belong to reputed fields.

"They both were reputed doctors, one belonged to the Army and the other was a government doctor. The CBI is an eminent agency and, therefore, the concerned person must cooperate and support the enquiry," Pandey told ANI.

He added that the required documents are to be submitted to meet the demands of the enquiry.

"There is no issue regarding that. As per my knowledge, there are senior and junior doctors and as IOA doesn't pay the doctors, they voluntarily offer services. This is a normal procedure," Pandey asserted.

He further said that those who have knowledge about the sports field are approached by the IOA to avoid mismanagement.

Earlier on 19 may, the CBI instituted a preliminary inquiry against two doctors - Pawandeep Singh and R.S. Negi, who, without proper qualifications, were sent to Rio Olympics along with the Indian sports contingent.

The duo was sent to the Rio Olympics, held in Brazil last year, by the IOA.

The step was seen as 'favouritism' on the part of IOA as Pawandeep's father, Tarlochan Singh, is the vice-president of the IOA while, Negi is a distant cousin and close friend of IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta.

Tarlochan Singh, however, had defended his son's appointment as the Chief Medical Officer of the Indian contingent at the Olympics Games.

Tarlochan's comments came in wake of reports suggesting that Pawandeep, a radiologist by profession, did not prove to be of much help to the Indian athletes in the prestigious quadrennial games.

Tarlochan, who is also the acting president of the Archery Association of India, said that only Chef de Mission had the right to judge his son's performance.

-ANI