PT Usha’s second-term ambitions at crossroads: What are her options in IOA presidential race? | More sports News

New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) presidential race took an unexpected turn on Monday, with current chief PT Usha facing her biggest electoral setback since taking charge of the organisation in December 2022.Usha, who became the first woman to head the IOA, finished fifth in the election for the women’s Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) category on November 9. With four positions available, she missed out on a place in the newly elected group that will form part of the IOA General Assembly, dealing a significant blow to her prospects of securing another term.The result has also altered the power dynamics within the country’s apex sports body ahead of the December 5 Executive Council elections, which will determine who leads Indian Olympic administration for the next four years.However, Usha’s electoral defeat does not, by itself, settle the question of her future. The IOA Constitution, ratified on September 8, and the Election Bye-Laws provide a framework that leaves some room for an alternative route. Whether that route is available to Usha, and whether she intends to pursue it, are now central questions.What does Usha’s SOMs defeat mean for her presidential ambitions?

Usha was elected unopposed as IOA president on December 10, 2022, after securing a place among the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit. The SOM category has traditionally provided a route for accomplished sportspersons to enter the IOA General Assembly and subsequently contest elections to the Executive Council.The latest election, however, did not go her way.In the six-way contest for four women’s SOM positions, long jumper Anju Bobby George topped the poll with 53 votes, followed by former India women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal (50), former archer Dola Banerjee (45) and badminton player Saina Nehwal (43). Usha secured 40 votes, finishing behind Saina, while former basketball player Anitha Pauldurai received six.The four men’s positions had already been filled unopposed by Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta.

The eight elected SOMs will form part of the General Assembly and will be eligible to vote in the December 5 elections. One male and one female representative from this category will also be elected to the Executive Council.For Usha, the immediate consequence is that she will no longer have the SOM route that helped her enter the IOA’s electoral structure in 2022.But does that automatically rule her out of the presidential race? Not necessarily.Can PT Usha still find a way into the General Assembly?The IOA Constitution provides for membership of the General Assembly through multiple categories, including representatives of National Sports Federations (NSFs), the Athletes Commission, IOC members and the eight SOMs.Under the election notification issued on November 9, each eligible NSF has been asked to nominate two authorised representatives to the Electoral College — one male and one female.The notification lists 30 eligible National Sports Federations. Each federation’s representatives will have one vote apiece in the Executive Council elections.

This potentially offers Usha an alternative route into the General Assembly, provided a federation nominates her as one of its authorised representatives and she meets the prescribed eligibility conditions.There are, however, important qualifications.The notification makes it clear that an authorised representative must be a member of the concerned NSF, an Indian citizen, below 70 years of age and in good standing. The nomination must also be supported by the federation’s authorisation and submitted within the stipulated deadline.Therefore, Usha cannot simply secure a nomination from any federation without meeting its membership requirements.The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is an obvious organisation to watch in this context, given Usha’s association with athletics. However, there is no confirmed indication that she will be among its two representatives.More importantly, entering the General Assembly and satisfying the specific eligibility requirements for the post of president are two related but distinct considerations.

The new Constitution’s eligibility provision for the President and Treasurer requires a candidate to be a Sportsperson of Outstanding Merit or to have previously served at least one full term as a member of the IOA Executive Council, or as president, secretary general or treasurer of an affiliated unit.Usha’s tenure as IOA president began in December 2022. Whether her current Executive Council service will be treated as a completed full term at the relevant eligibility cut-off is a question that will need to be assessed under the Constitution and by the Electoral Officer.The Constitution also provides for a four-year term for office-bearers, a three-term ceiling and a cooling-off provision in the circumstances specified under its tenure rules.Thus, while an NSF nomination could potentially restore her place in the General Assembly, it should not be viewed as an automatic clearance for the presidential contest.There is another significant development.According to reports, PT Usha is not currently considering seeking nomination from an NSF to regain entry into the General Assembly. Nor is she contemplating approaching the courts to challenge the SOM election result. Instead, her immediate focus appears to be on seeking intervention from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Usha takes electoral battle to IOC: What is her next move?

In a confidential three-page complaint, addressed to IOC president Kirsty Coventry, Usha has sought an independent examination of the SOM election process.The complaint, accessed by TOI, raises concerns about alleged campaigning by incumbent Executive Council members, communications seeking confirmation of voters’ participation and references to the Sports Ministry in messages concerning a secret-ballot election.Usha has also questioned the handling of four representations she claims to have submitted to Returning Officer Sanjay K. Srivastava during the electoral process.She has argued that the issue is not simply about her defeat, but about the conduct and oversight of the election itself.Her complaint reportedly asks the IOC to examine the alleged violations, ascertain whether any government or external influence was exerted and consider referring the matter to its relevant ethics and compliance mechanisms.She has also sought corrective measures to safeguard future IOA elections.The letter comes against the backdrop of India’s ambitions to host the 2036 Olympic Games. Usha has argued that the IOA’s independence, transparency and governance standards are important to the credibility of the Olympic movement.Sources in her camp have indicated that the immediate hope is for IOC intervention, alongside efforts to seek the Prime Minister’s Office’s intervention into the alleged irregularities.Key dates in the IOA presidential elections

With the SOM elections concluded, the IOA has moved to the next phase of its Executive Council election process. Electoral Officer Sanjay K. Srivastava has formally announced December 5 as the date for the Executive Council elections.The immediate task is to constitute the Electoral College, which will elect the next president and other office-bearers.Under the notification, the 30 eligible NSFs have been asked to submit the names of their two authorised representatives between November 10 and November 12, by 3 pm.The provisional Electoral College is scheduled to be published on November 12. Objections can be submitted until 6 pm on November 13, followed by scrutiny and disposal of objections on November 14. The final Electoral Roll is scheduled for publication on November 15.The Electoral College will comprise:– Two authorised representatives from each of the 30 eligible National Sports Federations.– IOC member(s), each entitled to one vote.– Two representatives of the IOA Athletes Commission.– Eight elected Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit, comprising four men and four women.The eight SOMs, therefore, will have a role beyond simply occupying positions in the General Assembly. They will also be part of the body that elects the next IOA leadership.