PT Usha Suffers Electoral Setback, Faces Hurdle in Bid for Second Term as IOA President

PT Usha’s Second-Term Prospects Hit as She Fails to Win Key IOA Election

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha has suffered a significant electoral setback after failing to secure a place among the four women elected as Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM). The result, announced on Monday, comes just weeks before the IOA’s December 5 elections and has raised questions over her prospects of retaining the presidency for another term.

Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, ex-archer Dola Banerjee and former Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal secured the four available positions. Usha and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai failed to make the cut.

The outcome is crucial because the eight elected SOM representatives, comprising four men and four women, become members of the IOA General Assembly. They are eligible to participate in the December 5 elections for the association’s new Executive Council and can also contest for key positions.

Usha had used the SOM route to enter the General Assembly before winning the IOA presidency in December 2022, becoming the first woman to lead India’s Olympic governing body. Her failure to secure a place this time has complicated her prospects of seeking another term.

Having missed out through the SOM category, Usha can still enter the presidential race if a National Sports Federation (NSF) nominates her to the General Assembly, subject to the applicable eligibility criteria. However, the possibility of such a nomination has been described as unlikely, according to PTI.

The General Assembly will elect the IOA’s Executive Council for the 2026-30 term. The women’s SOM election was conducted online, with 80 existing members, including 40 men and 40 women, eligible to cast their votes.

WhatsApp Campaign Triggers Complaint

Usha’s electoral defeat came a day after she lodged a formal complaint with the IOA Electoral Officer against former archer Dola Banerjee over an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The complaint concerned a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing Banerjee’s name. The message reportedly sought votes for the ‘New Bharat Panel’ and listed four candidates along with their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers. The panel included Banerjee, Saina Nehwal, Anju Bobby George and Rani Rampal.

Usha alleged that the message violated Clause 1.9 of the Model Code of Conduct issued on October 30, which restricts candidate promotion through publicity, including social media and other digital platforms.

She also cited provisions requiring candidates to maintain fairness during campaigning and show dignity and respect towards fellow contestants.

In her complaint, Usha sought an investigation into the circulation of the message, an explanation from those involved and appropriate action if a violation was established. She also attached a screenshot of the communication as evidence.

However, no publicly available decision on the complaint had emerged before the election results were declared.

Four Male SOM Candidates Elected Unopposed

Unlike the women’s category, the men’s SOM election concluded without a contest on Saturday.

Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, were elected unopposed to the four available positions after eight other candidates withdrew from the race.

The withdrawals also sparked questions about the electoral process. BVP Rao, former National Convener of Clean Sports India, alleged that some candidates had pulled out following calls from the Sports Ministry.

Rao questioned the circumstances surrounding the withdrawals and argued that athletes should be able to exercise their electoral rights without external pressure.

A Sports Ministry source rejected the allegations as baseless, maintaining that the IOA elections were being conducted independently and that the ministry had not interfered in the process.

The alleged WhatsApp campaigning and claims of pressure on candidates added to the controversy surrounding the SOM elections. However, these allegations have not been independently established.

The December 5 election will determine the IOA’s leadership for the next four years. With the SOM results changing the composition of the General Assembly, attention will now turn to the presidential contest and the candidates seeking to lead India’s Olympic body.