In a dramatic turn of events, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha has hit back at members of the Executive Council (EC) who accused her of running the IOA in an autocratic manner. On Sunday, Usha strongly refuted these claims, suggesting that the accusations are motivated by personal interests and financial benefits rather than the welfare of Indian sports. She also made serious allegations against certain EC members, claiming their records were tainted with cases of gender bias and even sexual harassment.
Usha’s Stance: “Not for Personal Gain”
In a press release, PT Usha, one of India’s most celebrated athletes, made her position clear. She stated, “Throughout my 45-year journey as a sportsperson, I have never encountered individuals who are so disconnected from the aspirations of athletes and the future of Indian sports. The sole focus of these people seems to be personal benefits and monetary gains through their prolonged presence in sports administration.”
Although Usha refrained from naming anyone directly, her comments targeted the 12 members who rebelled against her leadership. She also emphasized that some of these individuals have deeply questionable pasts. “There are allegations of gender bias, and even cases of sexual harassment registered against some of these EC members,” she added.
The Root of the Controversy
This issue surfaced when 12 members of the IOA’s Executive Council wrote a letter to Jérôme Poives, a senior official of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). They accused PT Usha of dictatorial behavior, especially after she rejected their demand to remove Raghuram Iyer from his position as the CEO of IOA during a heated Executive Council meeting.
Among the signatories of this letter are Senior Vice President Ajay H Patel, Vice Presidents Rajlakshmi Dev and Gagan Narang, Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, Joint Secretaries Alaknanda Ashok and Kalyan Choubey, and other members like Amitabh Sharma, Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, Rohit Rajpal, Dola Banerjee, Harpal Singh, and Yogeshwar Dutt.
In their letter to the IOC, these members proposed re-advertising the CEO post, claiming that Usha’s leadership has been marked by autocratic decisions. “The goal is to work with the Chairperson to appoint a suitable candidate within the next two months,” the letter read. They also expressed their concerns about Usha’s conduct, describing her leadership style as “regrettable.”
Usha: “False and Malicious Allegations”
PT Usha categorically dismissed the claims of the 12 EC members, labeling the accusations as “false, malicious, and aimed solely at tarnishing my leadership and the work we have done for Indian sports.” She made it clear that Raghuram Iyer’s appointment as CEO in January 2024 was entirely constitutional and in line with IOA’s rules.
“The baseless letter from these 12 members is part of a larger conspiracy to derail Indian sports’ progress and undo the positive changes we’ve worked hard to achieve,” Usha said. She further explained that such actions not only harm her leadership but also damage the reputation of Indian sports on a global level.
More Allegations from PT Usha
Usha didn’t stop at just defending herself. She also made serious counter-accusations against certain members of the Executive Council. She particularly singled out Sahdev Yadav, accusing him and other finance committee members of secretly writing off large sums of money that were owed to the IOA. Additionally, Usha alleged that Kalyan Choubey, the former acting CEO, had ignored IOA’s regulations when recognizing the Indian Taekwondo Federation. She claimed that the federation had not been recognized by global or Asian governing bodies, yet Choubey had still given it approval.
A Conflict That Could Shape the Future of Indian Sports
This confrontation between PT Usha and the Executive Council has created a tense atmosphere in the IOA. While Usha, with her illustrious background as a sports icon, stands firm in her commitment to Indian sports, the rebellion from within her own administration suggests deeper challenges. As accusations fly from both sides, the future of Indian sports administration could be at a crucial turning point.
