<p> Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra on Wednesday announced that he will not run for a second term for the top job when the elections for the national sport's apex body are held, the development coming weeks after the CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry against him for alleged misappropriation of public funds.</p>.<p>Batra said that he needs to spend more time as head of the International Hockey Federation.</p>.<p>Batra, who was elected as IOA president for the first time in 2017, is eligible to contest for re-election. His decision means that his membership in the International Olympic Committee will also come to an end as the coveted position was linked to his IOA presidency.</p>.<p>Batra was made an IOC member in 2019.</p>.<p>The IOA elections, which were due to be held in December last year, have been kept in abeyance due to a pending court case.</p>.<p>"At a time when world hockey is going through an essential development phase, with the promotion of Hockey5s, the creation of a new competition this year – the FIH Hockey Nations Cup – and the launch of fan-engaging platforms and activities, my role as President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) requires more time for all these activities," Batra said in a statement.</p>.<p>"Consequently, I've decided to not run for a further term as President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).</p>.<p>"I feel that the time has come for me to leave this role to someone coming with a fresh mind and new ideas to take Indian sports to much much greater heights and also go all out to work to get 2036 Summer Olympics in India."</p>.<p>His statement did not mention whether he has resigned as IOA president.</p>.<p>Batra's reign at the helm of affairs has been a controversial one due to the simmering tension between the factions led by him and Secretary General Rajeev Mehta.</p>.<p>Recently, Batra had tendered an apology after a past social media outburst against former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha caught up with him, a development which has led to demands of his resignation from the IOA top job.</p>
<p> Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra on Wednesday announced that he will not run for a second term for the top job when the elections for the national sport's apex body are held, the development coming weeks after the CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry against him for alleged misappropriation of public funds.</p>.<p>Batra said that he needs to spend more time as head of the International Hockey Federation.</p>.<p>Batra, who was elected as IOA president for the first time in 2017, is eligible to contest for re-election. His decision means that his membership in the International Olympic Committee will also come to an end as the coveted position was linked to his IOA presidency.</p>.<p>Batra was made an IOC member in 2019.</p>.<p>The IOA elections, which were due to be held in December last year, have been kept in abeyance due to a pending court case.</p>.<p>"At a time when world hockey is going through an essential development phase, with the promotion of Hockey5s, the creation of a new competition this year – the FIH Hockey Nations Cup – and the launch of fan-engaging platforms and activities, my role as President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) requires more time for all these activities," Batra said in a statement.</p>.<p>"Consequently, I've decided to not run for a further term as President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).</p>.<p>"I feel that the time has come for me to leave this role to someone coming with a fresh mind and new ideas to take Indian sports to much much greater heights and also go all out to work to get 2036 Summer Olympics in India."</p>.<p>His statement did not mention whether he has resigned as IOA president.</p>.<p>Batra's reign at the helm of affairs has been a controversial one due to the simmering tension between the factions led by him and Secretary General Rajeev Mehta.</p>.<p>Recently, Batra had tendered an apology after a past social media outburst against former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha caught up with him, a development which has led to demands of his resignation from the IOA top job.</p>