ASA general secretary Uttam Das (in blue shirt) addresses the media in Guwahati on Thursday. Picture by Eastern Projections

Guwahati, May 6: The Assam Swimming Association (ASA) and the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) appear to be finally heading for a showdown after what has been a prolonged battle over recognition.

The ASA now has not only shot off a legal notice to the SFI general secretary, Virendra Nanavati, but also deciding to take its case to the Union sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association for alleged discrimination against the state body.

The trigger for the legal notice, sent on April 29, was an April 6 letter from Nanavati announcing the SFI decision to suspend ASA as well as cancel the recognition accorded to the ad hoc committee headed by East Guwahati MLA and vice-president of Assam Olympic Association Robin Bordoloi.

Both have been debarred from holding any activity with effect from December 10, 2009 by the SFI.

The Assam Swimming Association and the Bordoloi-headed committee has been at loggerheads for over a year now with both sides even approaching the courts to justify their claim. According to the ASA, the court has ruled in its favour.

While announcing its decision to host the 19th All Assam (inter-district) Aquatic Meet at the Bimala Prasad Chaliha Swimming Pool here from June 4 to 6, ASA general secretary Uttam Das disclosed about the legal notice. He also notified about a team meeting involving Union sports minister M.S. Gill and IOA topbrass Suresh Kalmadi.

“We have given the SFI 10 days’ time to respond to our notice, failing which we will move the court for justice. We have been compelled to take this move. There was a difference between two committees but after the court has ruled in our favour, how can Nanavati suspend our body? We are very concerned as we are interested in development of swimming and swimmers. We are very transparent in our dealings,” Das said.

In the six-page notice, a copy of which is available with The Telegraph, the “suspended” ASA has demanded the revocation of the arbitrary suspension of the “legal” body with immediate effect. And, among others, compensation for the state swimming team fielded by the ASA in the senior National Aquatic Championships held at Thiruvananthapuram. The team was “illegally” barred by the SFI from participation, an ASA official claimed.