We can't stop Suresh Kalmadi from attending London Olympics: IAAF

NEW DELHI: Suresh Kalmadi might be facing intense pressure from various quarters here to cancel his London Olympics trip, but the International Athletics Federation said that it is not going to stop him from attending the IAAF Council meeting in the British capital.

IAAF Deputy General Secretary Nick Davies told reporters that the world body does not see anything wrong in Kalmadi attending its Council meeting in London.

"Kalmadi is an elected member of IAAF Council so logically, he is invited to attend the Council meeting in London," Davies said when asked about IAAF's comments on the controversy generated in India over Kalmadi being allowed to attend the Games.

"As far as we are aware, his legal case is on-going and he has not been convicted of any wrong-doing," he said.

Davies said that two IAAF Council meetings are being planned in London during the Olympics -- on July 31 and August 10.

A Delhi court's permission for Kalmadi's visit to London from July 26 to August 13 had kicked up an uproar here with the Sports Minister Ajay Maken asking him to desist from doing that and a body of former athletes even writing to the International Olympic Committee to cancel his accreditation.

Asked if an IAAF accreditation will give Kalmadi free access to all Olympic venues and Games Village, Davies said, "I have not seen the IAAF Council accreditation, for sure it will give access to the Athletics' venues, not necessarily anything else."