New Delhi: Sports Minister Ajay Maken took a dig at the Indian Olympic Association saying that as long the association has tainted officials at the helm, they do not have the right to host any international events indicating at the corruption charges going on against Suresh Kalamdi.

The reaction came after IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra opposed the Ministry’s recommendation to shift the South Asian Games (SAG) from January 2013 to 2014 saying that postponing an event of such magnitude would be a matter of national shame.

“The IOA has no right to host international competitions till the time they have tainted people calling the shots. The Association on a moral ground should not ask for funds from government as long as their officials are not cleared of their corruption charges,” said Maken at the sidelines of a function to felicitate medallists of international events, on Thursday.

The Ministry and the IOA are at constant loggerhead over the issue of SAG and none of the sides look to be in the mood to relent. India which is due to host the games by virtue of rotation policy first wanted to host it in October 2012, but later shifted in to January 2013.

However now the Ministry now wants it to be shifted to 2014 due to Delhi Assembly elections with the IOA strongly opposing the move saying that the reasons put forward by the Ministry is laughable.

But Maken made it clear that the decision has been taken after consulting with other ministries and there is no stepping back on that.