IOA elections Dec. 5, Athletes’ Commission polls scheduled for Nov. 3

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will elect its new executive board on December 5, five days before the current board’s term ends. The election process began on Saturday with the appointment of former Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Srivastava as the returning officer, at a time when India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics has brought the body’s governance into sharper focus.

Srivastava, a former IAS officer who has served as the Election Commissioner in Delhi and Chandigarh, will oversee the elections to the Executive Council, Sportsmen’s Commission and Sportsmen of Exceptional Merit (SOM) category.

“The 2026 elections mark an important milestone in strengthening good governance, transparency and accountability within the Indian Olympic movement. We aim to build strong, credible and athlete-centric institutions, fully in line with the Olympic Charter and the National Sports Governance Framework,” said IOA President PT Usha.

“The appointment of an experienced former Electoral Commissioner as Returning Officer underlines our commitment to an independent, transparent and credible electoral process. The IOA will provide all necessary support while fully respecting the independence of the electoral process,” she added.

ATHLETES’ COMMISSION VOTING IN NOVEMBER

The first major election on the calendar will be for the IOA Athletes’ Commission, with voting, counting and announcement of results scheduled for November 3. National sports federations have until 14:00 on October 11 to nominate two athlete representatives through their respective athlete commissions.

The new commission will have 10 elected members, five men and five women, with the rules requiring representation of Olympic sports and athletes who have achieved success at major competitions.

The process of identifying athletes for exceptional merit began on September 18, when applications for inclusion in the respective list were opened. Eligible applicants can submit their forms and supporting documents by October 18. Elections will be held in accordance with the National Sports Governance Act 2025, Rules 2026, the IOA Constitution as amended and the applicable election regulations.

THE 2036 OLYMPIC BID IS ADDED TO THE BETTING

Leadership transformation comes as India continues its bid to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad. The country’s proposed vision, titled “Rising Together”, seeks to present the Games as an opportunity to expand sports participation, engage young people and involve more communities in the Olympic movement.

India is one of the seven stakeholders in dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) alongside Germany, Hungary, Qatar, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkey. The IOC’s process to determine the 2036 host is still ongoing, with the field of interested parties still narrowing.

Usha becomes the first woman to head the IOA when she takes over in December 2022. The December election will determine the body’s next executive board as India continues to pursue its Olympic ambitions, making leadership and administration a vital part of the country’s preparations.

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