Blaming forced exits, Ashwini Nachappa questions the fairness of the IOA elections
Former Indian sprinter Ashwini Nachappa claims she was forced to withdraw from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Sportsperson of Merit (SOM) election under outside pressure, raising fresh questions about the transparency of the election process. Nachappa said the decision was not voluntary and expressed disappointment at the state of sports governance in the country.
The 59-year-old was among the original 11 candidates running for four women’s SOM positions in elections held virtually on Monday. Nachappa claimed to PTI on Wednesday that she and other candidates were asked to withdraw, but did not identify who was applying the pressure or explain how the withdrawals were communicated.
“I was asked to withdraw. All those who withdrew were asked to withdraw under pressure from outside. It was not voluntary, I can say that much… it speaks volumes about transparency,” she said.
“If the opportunity came and it was fair, I would have stayed. But unfortunately the very ethics and values of Olympic sport have been completely erased, I thought there was no point (fighting the SOM election),” she added.
Five women candidates, including Nachappa, withdrew on November 7, leaving six women candidates in the fray for four positions. Incumbent IOA president PT Usha finished fifth with 40 voteshe lacks a place in the general assembly. Four positions were secured by Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal, Dola Banerjee and Saina Nehwal. Usha’s defeat complicated her bid for a second presidential term, although she could still reach the General Assembly through the nomination of the National Sports Federation.
NACHAPPA QUESTIONS ETHICS IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT
Nachappa, who has competed in two Asian Games and won three gold medals in the Asian Championships in the women’s 4x400m relay, said she entered the election process hoping to contribute to Indian sports. However, she felt that the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal had no reason to continue.
She also criticized the role of some athletes in the process, claiming that the values associated with Olympism were not respected. Nachappa said she will now return to running her educational institution in Karnataka, which has around 900 students.
IOA ELECTION HIT BY FRESH COMPLAINTS
The SOM election has already been shrouded in allegations of campaign management and possible interference. Usha filed a complaint with Election Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, accusing former archer Dola Banerjee of violating the model code of conduct by sending out a WhatsApp message seeking votes for the ‘New Bharat Panel’.
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Sathish Sivalingam also complained about an organized effort to influence voters and alleged that IOA resources were being used to support a candidate. He did not name Usha in his complaint.
Elections to the IOA’s executive board are scheduled for December 5, with the latest allegations adding to uncertainty about the association’s leadership transition.
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