In a damage control exercise, the Sports Ministry today claimed that the alleged case of aggressive behaviour by one of its unaccredited officials in the Rio Olympic Games was a case of misunderstanding but it has still instructed him to strictly follow the rules set by the Organising Committee.

The Indian contingent in Rio has been left embarrassed after the Organising Committees Continental Manager Sarah Paterson threatened to cancel the accreditation of Sports Minister Vijay Goel for the aggressive and rude behaviour of his entourage in a letter to Chef-de-Mission Rakesh Gupta.

However, the ministry, in a statement issued today, denied receiving any such complaint either from the Rio OC or the IOA.

Attention of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has been drawn towards a letter written by an official of Rio Organising Committee to the Chef-de-Mission of Indian Olympic Association regarding entry of an un-accredited Indian Official accompanying the minister into some accredited area. One such official usually accompanies the minister on such visit, the ministry stated.