India, Feb. 6 -- The International Golf Federation (IGF) has expressed strong disapproval towards the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) regarding its "interference" in the elections of the Indian Golf Union (IGU).

In a correspondence addressed to IOA president PT Usha on Tuesday, IGF executive director Antony Scanlon affirmed the recognition of the IGU, which is led by Brijender Singh as president, and urged her to grant affiliation to the organization by the Olympic charter regulations.

The IGF criticized the IOA for "actively undermining" the electoral process of the IGU and for enabling a faction to conduct a "non-constitutional and invalid alternate Annual General Meeting and elections" at its facilities. Furthermore, the IGF has reported this situation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IGU elections have come under scrutiny due to two factions of the federation holding separate elections at different locations in New Delhi on December 15. Singh was re-elected as president during the polls conducted at the India Habitat Centre, with retired high court judge Rameshwar Malik serving as the returning officer.

The IOA and the Sports Ministry have recognized different groups of office-bearers. The IOA has acknowledged the faction led by Harish Kumar Shetty as president, while the Sports Ministry has endorsed Singh's election, pending the resolution of the ongoing court case regarding the matter.

Scanlon stated that the International Golf Federation (IGF) has found no grounds to question the legitimacy of the International Golf Union (IGU) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election conducted at the India Habitat Centre, affirming that these events were executed by their constitution and the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. "Consequently, we acknowledge and fully endorse the office bearers announced by the Returning Officer, HJ Rameshwar Singh Malik, and ratified by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

"We assert that neither the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) nor you, as President of the IOA, possess any authority over the IGU AGM or its electoral process," Scanlon remarked.

"Remarkably, the IOA would actively seek to undermine the IGU electoral process and support a faction conducting a non-constitutional and invalid alternative AGM and elections on IOA premises," he added.

He noted that the IOA's interference further extended to the improper recognition of this faction's elections, thereby compromising the integrity of the constitutionally and fairly elected IGU executive.

"To acknowledge another executive body that is not affiliated with the IGF directly contravenes the Olympic Charter. We strongly urge you to rectify this situation immediately," he stated.

Scanlon expressed the IGF's profound disappointment regarding the decision to exclude golf from the sports program at the ongoing National Games. "It is unfortunate that your actions appear to penalize athletes for political reasons, which is in direct violation of Article 27.2.2 of the Olympic Charter, which states that the role of a National Olympic Committee (NOC) is 'to encourage the development of high-performance sport.'

"The IGF urges you to reconsider this decision and prioritize the interests of the athletes over personal and political agendas."

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!