IOA surveys on December 5; former Election Commissioner appointed as Returning Officer

NEW DELHI: The countdown to a major electoral transition in Indian Olympic sports has begun, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) scheduling its executive council elections for December 5 and appointing former election commissioner Sanjay Kumar Srivastava as the returning officer to oversee the process.The election comes just five days before the term of the current Executive Board ends on December 10, and has set the stage for a major transition in the country’s Olympic administration. The election exercise, which also includes the election of the IOA Athletes’ Commission and the preparation of the list of Athletes of Exceptional Merit (SOM), will be conducted under the National Sports Governance Act 2025, Rules 2026, the IOA Constitution as amended and the relevant election bye-laws.Srivastava, a former IAS officer who served as the Election Commissioner in Delhi and Chandigarh, will oversee the entire election process, including electoral rolls, nominations, scrutiny, polling, counting and declaration of results. His appointment puts the conduct of elections in the hands of an official with experience in election administration, with the IOA committed to supporting the exercise while respecting its independence.The electoral process is already gathering pace, the first phase of the SOM exercise was launched on 18 September. Eligible athletes were invited to apply to be on the roster, with an October 18 deadline for applications and documentation. The roster will be prepared in accordance with the eligibility and level criteria prescribed under the national sports management.

Athletes Commission polls next month

Attention will first focus on the IOA Athletes’ Commission, with voting, tallying and announcement of results scheduled for 3 November for the 2026-2030 period. National Sports Federations (NSFs) are required to nominate two athlete representatives through their duly constituted Athlete Committees, with nominations closing on 11 October at 2pm.The proposed commission will have 10 elected members – five men and five women – with provisions for the representation of athletes from Olympic category sports and those who have achieved success at major competitions. The exercise is aimed at determining the representation of athletes, which will form a key part of the IOA management structure.IOA President PT Usha said the 2026 elections marked an important milestone in strengthening governance, transparency and accountability within the Indian Olympic Movement.“Our aim is to build strong, credible and athlete-centred institutions, fully in line with the Olympic Charter and the National Sports Governance Framework,” said Usha.She added that the appointment of an experienced former Election Commissioner underscored the IOA’s commitment to an independent, transparent and credible election process, while reiterating that athletes must have a meaningful role in the governance of Indian sports.

Governance is in the spotlight as India bids for the 2036 Olympics

The election exercise also comes at a consequential moment for India’s Olympic ambitions. India is among the seven stakeholders in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) continuous dialogue process regarding the 2036 Olympics, with Ahmedabad identified as the proposed host city for the Indian project.Other stakeholders in the dialogue are Germany, Hungary, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of South Africa and Türkiye. In this context, governance, institutional credibility and athlete participation are likely to remain important issues as the IOA moves through an election cycle and India pursues its Olympic hosting ambitions.The IOA said election-related notices, forms, voter lists and other information will be made available through its official website and designated election communication channels.