Hurt after being referred to as 'stooges' by Mahesh Bhupathi, a press statement was quickly issued on 'behalf of the AITA executive committee' stating the allegations are 'far from being correct'. Hironmoy Chatterjee, a senior executive committee member had refuted Bhupathi's claims of a dictatorial reign.
According to a report in The Hindustan Times, Bhupathi had said in a press conference that AITA decisions were made only by one man. “Apparently, there is an ethics committee which has made the decision (to not consider the duo till June 2014), but we know all the decisions are made by only one man. It is a dictatorial rule. He (Anil Khanna, the AITA president) hides behind these ethics and executive committees to deflect the blame. It is not about any of the committees. “It (the decision to ban) is personal between two people, and unfortunately, I am one of them," Bhupathi claimed in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Meanwhile according to a report in Indian Express, the four executive directors - Ranbir Chauhan, Amarbir Singh, PF Montes and Nar Singh - said that Khanna was a ‘minority’ when it came to slapping the ban on Bhupathi and Bopanna for refusing to team up with Leander Paes for the London Olympics. “The fact in this case is that unfortunately he (Khanna) was in minority in this decision and he had to go with the majority opinion and had to agree with it,” a statement issued by AITA secretary general Bharat N Oza said.
“This is to clarify that the decision in respect of the two players was taken by the executive committee of AITA, which was attended by 12 representatives from different states on recommendation of the Ethics Committee of the AITA,” the statement added.
The secretary general also said that the banned players have an opportunity to make an appeal. “The Ethics Committee and Executive Committee have also given an opportunity to the two players to make an appeal,” the statement said.
According to a report in Pune Mirror, AITA members Colonel Ranbir Chauhan, Amarbir Singh and Montes, who convened a press-conference here Wednesday, on their part failed to give a conclusive answer to the allegations levelled against them by Bhupathi, shrugging them off as unfortunate comments.
“This is far from being correct. AITA is the most professionally managed organisation and has four executive directors who are well qualified to head the different departments of AITA. Each of the chairmen of the six committees is a highly respected person with experience in education, government, journalism and administration. AITA is one of the most democratic institutions and has been headed between 2000-2012 by Mr Yashwant Sinha, MP, former finance minister and external affairs minister. The Life Presidents of AITA are Shri S.M. Krishna, external affairs minister and Shri Yashwant Sinha. The vice presidents of AITA include very distinguished personalities who would not choose to be part of an organisation which is not transparent and democratic,” an AITA release said.