Panaji: The Cycling Association of Goa (CAG) has urged the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) to withdraw its suspension and allow the newly elected body to function, with general secretary Neeraj Gupta questioning the process followed by the national federation.
CAG approached the Bombay High Court in Goa after CFI suspended its affiliation from August 17. The High Court has issued notice to CFI and sought its response by September 9.
Gupta said CAG received no prior warning or show-cause notice before the suspension. “They have not given us any prior warning. They have not issued us any show-cause notice. They have not even heard us or asked us to present our case. Normally, the procedure is that you issue a show-cause notice and then take it forward from there.”
He said the suspension was communicated through an email from the CFI secretary general to the CAG president, without specifying the legal provision behind the decision.
“It is just an email, which has come from the Secretary General to our President. And it is very vague in the sense that there is no law which has been quoted on what basis they’re doing it.”
CFI had an observer present during CAG’s August 9 elections, but Gupta said the association was not provided with any report.
“The CFI, there was an observer who had been sent by the CFI. The observer was there for the election. There was no report of observer shared with us.”
He also questioned the timing of the action, noting that CAG’s affiliation had been renewed on June 27.
“The surprising thing is that they renewed us on 27th June and suddenly, they decide to suspend us within 10 days. It’s quite surprising.”
CFI has proposed an interim committee to oversee athlete selection, participation and training.
