Indian Olympic Association, IOA president Narinder Batra today made it clear that the national sports governing body cannot send the athletes for the upcoming Commonwealth Games on its own cost as it still needs government grant for its functioning.  

Batra made the comment while announcing sponsorship partners of the Indian contingent for the April 4-15 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. He said in India, except for cricket, no sports body can function without a grant from the government. 

The IOA chief said this in New Delhi in the presence of sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

The Minister, on his part, said that transparency in the functioning of the IOA and National Sports Federations, NSF was of paramount importance in the government's bid to raise the sporting profile of the country. 

He said, provisions regarding the transparency in the functioning of the sports bodies will be incorporated into the Sports Code. He also called upon the IOA and the NSFs to try and generate revenue on their own, taking advantage of the recent interests shown by the corporate sector to invest in sports.

Batra also announced that India will be represented by 227 athletes in the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which will be the second biggest-ever contingent.