Kalmadi to preside over AAA Congress

Commonwealth Games scam-tainted Suresh Kalmadi is set to preside over a crucial two-day Congress of the Asian Athletics Association starting here on Sunday, which will also vote on his re-election bid as president of the continental body. Kalmadi, who seeking his fourth term as head of the AAA, will be locked in a straight fight against Qatar Athletics Federation President Dahlan Jumaan Al-Hamad, who is also senior vice-president of the Asian body, on the last day of the Congress on July 1. The biennial Congress, which begins three days before the July 3-7 Asian Athletics Championships at a five-star hotel here, will also be attended by IAAF President Lamine Diack, besides some top officials from the AAA and the world body. The Congress, which is the governing body of the association, consists of a Council and not more than two delegates from each member of the AAA. However, each member country will have only one vote in the elections. The Athletics Federation of India is likely to be represented by its president Adille Sumariwala and secretary C K Valson. "The Congress which is normally held before the start of the biennial Asian Championships will discuss mostly routine matters like the progress reports of the last two years, the competitions held and financial matters," an AAA functionary told PTI. The other members of the AAA Council -- a Senior Vice-President, Five Vice-Presidents and eight Executive Members -- will also be elected. The Secretary-Treasurer is appointed by the incoming president and it will have to be seen whether the incumberent -- Maurice Nicholas of Singapore who has been holding the post for the last 40 years since the inception of AAA -- will continue or not. Kalmadi, who was jailed and later released on bail in connection with the Commonwealth Games scam, has been at the helm of affairs of the AAA since 2000.