PT Usha loses India’s key Olympic poll points in major blow to 2nd term as President

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha suffered a major setback in her bid for a second term after she failed to secure one of the four women’s sports Outstanding Merit (SOM) posts on Monday, less than a month before the December 5 elections.

Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola Banerjee and former Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal were elected from a field of six candidates. Usha and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai missed out.

The result is significant because eight elected representatives of SOM, four men and four women, became members of the IOA General Assembly, making eeligible to run and vote in the Dec. 5 election for the new executive board. Usha followed this path before being elected IOA president in December 2022, becoming the first woman to head the country’s Olympic body.

Usha’s defeat has thrown her hopes of securing a second term in serious doubt.

Having failed to enter the General Assembly through the Athletes of Exceptional Merit route, she can contest the December 5 election only if she is nominated to the General Assembly by the National Sports Federation (NSF), a possibility considered unlikely, according to news agency PTI.

The General Assembly is the electoral body that will select the new IOA Executive Board for the period 2026-30. The women’s contest was held online, with 80 existing SOMs, comprising 40 men and 40 women, eligible to vote.

WHATSAPP CAMPAIGN AGAINST USHA?

The result came a day after Usha lodged a formal complaint with the election officer against former archer Banerjee for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.

Usha objected to a WhatsApp message circulating through an account bearing Banerjee’s name seeking votes for a group called “New Panel of Bharat”. The report reportedly named four candidates along with their roll numbers and name numbers and urged voters to elect them. The panel consisted of Banerjee, Nehwal, Bobby George and Rampal.

In her complaint, Usha cited Article 1.9 of the model code of conduct issued on October 30, which prohibits promotion of candidates through publicity, including new media and social media platforms. She also referred to clauses requiring candidates to campaign fairly and maintain dignity and respect for other contestants.

Usha sought an investigation into the report, an explanation from those affected and appropriate action if violations were found. A screenshot of the communication was attached to her complaint. There was no publicly available decision on the complaint before the vote result was announced.

The women’s election was the only contested segment of the SOM polls after four male candidates were elected unopposed on Saturday. Olympic medalists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta secured four men’s spots after eight candidates opted out.

The withdrawal added to the controversy surrounding the election process. Clean Sports India’s former national convenor BVP Rao claimed that some candidates had resigned after receiving calls from the sports ministry. He questioned the circumstances of the withdrawal and said athletes should be allowed to exercise their voting rights without coercion.

However, a sports ministry source dismissed the allegation as baseless and claimed that the IOA elections were conducted independently and the ministry did not interfere.

The New Bharat Panel report was another flashpoint in an election process that has already seen allegations of pressure and interference from various quarters. However, the claims have not been independently proven.

Elections on December 5 will determine the leadership of the IOA for another four-year term. Narang, who is among the four male SOMs elected unopposed, is also a prominent figure in the emerging presidential race.

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