NEW DELHI: PT Usha, the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has convened a Special General Meeting (SGM) on October 25 to address some pressing issues. Key topics include the appointment of CEO Raghuram Iyer, corruption allegations against treasurer Sahdev Yadavand questions about the eligibility of certain Executive Council (EC) members.
Usha has been in conflict with many EC members regarding these matters.Iyer’s appointment is a major sticking point, with EC members questioning his salary and suitability for the role.
“All these issues are extraordinary and emergent in nature and require the participation of the House so that an effective decision is taken…In this regard I am convening a Special General Meeting of the IOA to be held on 25th October 2024 at the IOA Bhawan at 11AM,” Usha wrote in an email to office-bearers and other stakeholders.
“The SGM shall be a hybrid meeting as per Article 8.3 of the Constitution of the IOA. Those who are unable to join the meeting physically, can join the meeting through Webex for which the online link would be available on the website of the IOA.”
The meeting call follows a heated disagreement Usha had with the EC on September 26. A majority of the EC members continue to oppose Iyer’s appointment, which has not yet been formally ratified.
The SGM agenda includes a vote on Iyer’s appointment to determine if it should be finalized by the Nomination Committee as per Article 15.3.1 of the Constitution, or if the IOA EC has the authority to reject the process.
“The delay and denial by some members of the EC in accepting this appointment is affecting our governance and international standing,” Usha warned.
“…this has the potential to cause significant disruption to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s vision of hosting the summer Olympic Games 2036 in India,” she added.
Iyer’s background includes serving as CEO of IPL teams Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants. He has also held administrative roles in the Indian Super League and Ultimate Table Tennis.
Another critical issue on the agenda concerns the alleged ineligibility of some EC members. An anonymous complaint claims these members are violating the National Sports Codewhich sets limits on age and tenure for office-bearers.
The current EC includes senior vice president Ajay H Patel, vice presidents RajLaxmi Deo and Gagan Narang, treasurer Sahdev Yadav, joint secretary Alaknanda Ashok, and members Amitabh Sharma, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, Rohit Rajpal, Dola Banerjee, and Yogeshwar Dutt, along with joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey and Harpal Singh.
This meeting aims to resolve these significant issues and steer the IOA towards smooth governance.
