Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha suffered a major setback in her attempt to secure a second term after failing to win one of the four women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) positions on Monday. The development comes less than a month before the IOA elections scheduled for December 5.
Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola Banerjee and former India women's hockey captain Rani Rampal were elected from a group of six candidates. Usha and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai failed to secure enough votes.
The outcome is important because the eight elected SOM representatives, comprising four men and four women, become members of the IOA General Assembly. This makes them eligible to contest and vote in the December 5 elections for the association's new Executive Council. The election process follows the same route through which Usha entered the General Assembly before becoming the first woman to head India's Olympic body in December 2022.
Usha's defeat has put her chances of obtaining another presidential term in doubt.
Having failed to secure a place in the General Assembly through the SOM category, she can now contest the December 5 elections only if a National Sports Federation (NSF) nominates her to the assembly. According to PTI, that possibility is considered unlikely.
The General Assembly will elect the IOA Executive Council for the 2026-30 term. The women's SOM election was conducted online, with 80 existing representatives, including 40 men and 40 women, eligible to cast their votes.
A WHATSAPP CAMPAIGN AGAINST USHA?
The election result came a day after Usha submitted a formal complaint to the Electoral Officer against former archer Dola Banerjee, alleging a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.
Usha objected to a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing Banerjee's name that reportedly sought votes for a group called the 'New Bharat Panel'. The message mentioned four candidates, their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers, while appealing to voters to elect them. The panel included Banerjee, Nehwal, Anju Bobby George and Rampal.
In her complaint, Usha referred to Clause 1.9 of the Model Code of Conduct issued on October 30. The provision prohibits candidates from promoting themselves through publicity campaigns, including social media and other digital platforms.
She also highlighted provisions requiring candidates to conduct their campaigns fairly and maintain dignity and respect towards other contestants.
Usha requested an investigation into the message, explanations from those involved and appropriate action if a violation was established. She also attached a screenshot of the communication to her complaint.
However, no publicly available decision on the complaint had emerged before the voting results were announced.
The women's contest was the only disputed segment of the SOM elections, as all four male candidates were elected unopposed on Saturday.
Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, secured the four men's positions after eight other candidates withdrew.
The withdrawals had already raised questions about the electoral process. Former Clean Sports India National Convener BVP Rao alleged that some candidates had pulled out after receiving calls from the Sports Ministry. He questioned the circumstances surrounding their decisions and argued that athletes should be able to exercise their voting rights without pressure.
A Sports Ministry source rejected the allegations, describing them as baseless. The source maintained that the IOA election process was independent and that the ministry had not intervened.
The WhatsApp message involving the New Bharat Panel became another point of controversy in an election process that had already witnessed allegations of pressure and interference from different sides. However, these claims have not been independently established.
The December 5 elections will determine the leadership of the Indian Olympic Association for the next four-year term. Gagan Narang, one of the four male SOM representatives elected unopposed, is also among the prominent figures in the emerging contest for the presidency.
