The International Carrom Federation (ICF) has refused to recognise the ad hoc committee appointed by the Delhi High Court to govern the game in the country. In a communication dated August 6, signed by both its president Josef Meyer and secretary general Saeed Mohamed, the ICF has stated that it would only deal with the Executive of the All India Carrom Federation (AICF) elected in November 2015.
“ICF have recognised Mr. Rakibul Hussain as the president and Mr. V.D. Narayan as general secretary of AICF,” the letter said.
With the case dragging for more than a year and a half, following the government’s decision to derecognise the game, the carrom activities in the country had come to a long pause.
The secretary of AICF, Narayan had moved a double bench to seek remedy and an ad hoc body was nominated by the court with a government official as chairman, two former players, the petitioner and a member of another group.
The case was similar in Indian basketball, in which the legally elected body had sought timely intervention of the court and conducted all its activities for about two years, with the recognition of the international federation, before the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Union Sports Ministry accepted its validity and extended recognition.
“After observing the dispute being submitted by the Sports Ministry of India, their rules and the letter which they had issued on 4th February 2016 and found that it was not at all required. We have also gone through court orders which you have attached on the direction of the Ad-hoc committee and found that the court has not given any adverse remarks in respect of the election process of AICF),” read the communication from the International federation.