Ajay Hanje, Pune
In a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), PT Usha, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), expressed her displeasure with 12 members of the IOA Executive Council (EC) and accused them of acting in an “autocratic” manner. Usha added, “I have never encountered individuals so indifferent to the aspirations of our athletes and our nation’s sporting future,” alleging that the claims were made with the intention of “maligning” her leadership and undermining the efforts made to improve Indian sports.
The IOA president reiterated that the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was done in January, “in strict accordance with the IOA Constitution”.
She pointed out that despite “undue resistance from a majority of the EC members, the Nomination Committee undertook the process of selection”, with the whole process recorded on video to ensure accountability and transparency. PT Usha said that the appointment of CEO was duly ratified and she was requested to “negotiate the salary component”. She went on to reveal that despite the appointment in January, the CEO had not been paid “a single rupee” till date, as “certain EC members continue to defy the provisions of the IOA Constitution”.
She went on to say that a few members of the Executive Council had engaged in financial mismanagement and had “very questionable track records.”
She charged that the previous CEO, Kalyan Chaubey, had granted affiliation to the Taekwondo Federation when it was not recognized by the Asian and international authorities, so avoiding the IOA General Assembly. “I stand firm in my commitment to the values of integrity, transparency, and the upliftment of Indian sports,” the IOA president declared in closing. Our goal to empower our athletes and elevate our nation on the international scene is something we won’t allow to be derailed by unfounded accusations.
In the letter, she directly addressed the accusations, asserting that the CEO chosen by IOA has not received any compensation at all. She also made accusations against the members of the EC.