Golf Union Suspends Official For Alleged 'Serious Misconduct' At Paris Olympics

Facing the allegation of "serious misconduct" as part of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympic Games, Indian Golf Union's (IGU) senior governing council member Sundeep Verma has been suspended pending inquiry. The official has vocally denied the charge, terming it "baseless". (More Sports News)

In an official order, IGU president Brijender Singh stated, "Sundeep Verma, Governing Council Member of the Indian Golf Union is hereby suspended with immediate effect i.e. 30 August 2024, pending enquiry against him for serious misconduct on his part while representing India at the Paris Olympics 2024."

Without providing details of the alleged misconduct, Singh said the inquiry would take seven to 10 days. "The misdemeanour is grave enough (for Verma) to be suspended. We have set up an enquiry and they will give their report after verifying the veracity in a week or 10 days," Singh said.

A PTI report cited sources as saying that Verma allegedly used a false accreditation to be a part of the Indian Olympic contingent during the opening ceremony in Paris.

But Verma dubbed the charge baseless. "These allegations are all false. I had all the required permissions and accreditation, and my name was there in the list of people who would be a part of the contingent and attend the opening ceremony," the report Verma quoted Verma as saying.

"I didn't impersonate anybody. I didn't hide (anything). Billions of people saw me with the flag during the ceremony. There are so many security checks, and how can one pass all of them? These are all false allegations and I have sent them (IGU) a legal notice yesterday," Verma added.

Nevertheless, Singh said the IGU had enough evidence to back up the charges. "We have to give him a chance to explain, although we know there is visual and aural evidence...we have enough evidence to convince us that it is true," added Singh.

Verma also stated that while the Indian government had approved his name, his accreditation to accompany the team as coach was not handed over to him by IGU and he had arranged it himself.

"I had a coach accreditation. The IGU didn't send me any mail for the biometrics, my kits... clothes were not sent to me although the government approved everything. IGU didn't hand me the accreditation. So, I had to manage everything on my own," Verma said.

"Why was no question asked in the last one month. They (IGU) don't have the power to suspend me; it happens in the annual general meeting and the notice has to be given 21 days in advance."

Verma further claimed that the suspension was a ploy to stop him from exposing the corruption in the sport's governing body.

"Today there is a council meeting. The IGU has swindled equipment worth 10-odd crores, there are 5-6 matters of grave concern and I have all the proof. I was going to expose this. But they want to deliberately keep me away from this meeting," he said.

(With PTI inputs)