Dehradun, Feb 3 (IANS): The National Games Technical Conduct Committee (GTCC) has removed T. Praveen Kumar as director of competition for taekwondo following allegations that results in 10 of the 16 weight categories were decided even before the competition began.

S. Dinesh Kumar was appointed as the new director of competition, following a strong recommendation from the three-member Prevention of Manipulation of Competition Committee (PMCC).

“It is important that we take on board the recommendations of the PMC Committee and protect the integrity of the National Games Uttarakhand,” said GTCC chairperson Sunaina in a release on Monday.

“Besides receiving complaints against the erstwhile director of competition, we are also shocked to discover that he had named office-bearers and executive committee members of some state associations as well as someone who was an equipment vendor for the selection trials as sports-specific volunteers,” she said.

According to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), officials appointed by the Taekwondo Federation of India (TFI) had allegedly pre-decided the winners of various weight categories in exchange for bribes. “The asking price is Rs. 3 lakh for gold medal, Rs. 2 lakh for silver and Rs. 1 lakh for bronze,” the IOA was informed.

Further investigations revealed that T. Praveen Kumar had appointed office-bearers and executive members from some state associations—as well as an equipment vendor—as sports-specific volunteers for the selection trials. This raised further red flags about conflicts of interest and potential misconduct.

IOA President PT Usha expressed her disappointment over the allegations, calling it a shameful act that goes against the spirit of fair competition.

“It is shocking and sad that the National Games medals were allegedly decided away from the field of play even before the start of competitions,” said Usha. “At the IOA, we are committed to being fair to all our athletes and protect them from people conniving to manipulate the competition and tarnish the image of the National Games,” she added in a statement.

In response to the scandal, the Prevention of Manipulation of Competition Committee (PMCC) issued four key recommendations to prevent future disputes and ensure fairness in the tournament.

IOA was advised to remove Praveen Kumar and appoint a more suitable official. This recommendation has already been implemented with the appointment of S. Dinesh Kumar.

At least 50% of the nominated officials were advised to be replaced with duly qualified referees with international or national certifications. However, it is still unclear whether this measure has been implemented.

“The PMC Committee also recommended that the entire competition be recorded on video and the footage preserved for reference should the need arise,” said IOA in a statement. “The panel said that a team of officials nominated by the GTCC should be present at the venue throughout the competition to reduce the scope of manipulation and give all athletes a fair chance at winning medals.”

Despite the controversy, taekwondo events are set to take place as scheduled from February 4 to February 8 in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. The competition will feature 16 Kyorugi (sparring) events and 10 Poomsae (forms) events. With new measures in place, the GTCC and IOA will be closely monitoring the event to ensure fairness and restore faith in the National Games.