Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari resigned as Vice-president of Indian Weightlifting Federation

Legendary weightlifter Karnam Malleswari resigned as vice-president of the national body, Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) on 1 December 2011 citing unconstitutional functioning of the body as the reason for her resignation.

In a letter to IWLF president BP Baishya, Malleswari mentioned that the reason for her resignation was the appointment of coach Ramesh Malhotra as one of the technical officers for selection trials in Bangalore in early 2011. The IWLF had earlier suspended Malhotra after he was found guilty of physically assaulting women lifters by the federation’s executive committee in April 2011. She accused the IWLF officials of running the federation arbitrarily for their personal gains with total disregard for the sport and the players.

Malleswari also termed the appointment of Sahdev Yadav as general secretary illegal mentioning that proper procedure was not followed while suspending former secretary BR Gulati.

Her resignation brought to light an affidavit filed by former IWLF general secretary, Squadron Leader (retd) B R Gulati, alleging that former general secretary of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee (OC) Lalit Bhanot had, in the knowledge of Suresh Kalmadi, compelled the dissolution of the IWLF Executive Committee (EC).

Malleswari was appointed vice-president in December 2009. Olympic bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari had finished on the podium at the 2000 Sydney Games.