Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha on Sunday issued an explosive press release, slamming the 12 Executive Council IOA members who had condemned her “autocratic” methods in office in a letter addressed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Director of International Relations Jerome Poivey.
In a meeting between the warring factions on Thursday, also attended by IOC Director Poivey, an embattled Usha outrightly dismissed the EC members’ demand to remove Raghuram Iyer from the CEO’s post.
The 12 EC members later sent a letter to Poivey, stating that they want the national body to be governed “democratically” and that they will re-advertise for the position of the IOA CEO.
However, Usha attempted to shoot down the accusations as she questioned the motives of the EC members.
Key points from Usha’s letter
‘Raghuram Iyer not paid a single rupee’
A major point of conflict between the IOA chief and the EC members was the Rs 20 lakh per month salary for Iyer besides other perks. However, Usha had said she offered to renegotiate Iyer’s salary in Thursday’s meeting but the EC members were adamant about starting the process afresh.
Usha claimed that Iyer’s appointment was conducted following the IOA constitution. Usha also claimed that Iyer has yet to receive any pay since his appointment in January 2024, alleging persistent interventions from the EC members.
“In reality, despite his official appointment, Mr. Iyer has not been paid a single rupee till date. The delay in paying his salary is solely because certain EC members continue to defy the provisions of the IOA Constitution, obstructing necessary progress and decision-making. If these individuals were genuinely concerned about transparency, one must then question their vehement denial for recording of our Executive Council meetings. A true commitment to transparency would embrace accountability, but their actions clearly speak otherwise,” Usha wrote.
‘Questionable track record of EC members’
Usha also alleged that members of the Executive Council bore “questionable track records, including allegations of gender bias and even cases of sexual harassment filed against them.”
The legendary athlete also accused Treasurer Sahdev Yadav and members of the IOA’s Financial Committee of misapproprating IOA funds. “During the CAG audit, it has come to my attention that IOA Treasurer Mr. Sahdev Yadav, in connivance with the members of the IOA Finance Committee headed by Mr. Ajay Patel and comprising of Mrs. Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, Mr. BS Bajwa, Mr. Amitabh Sharma, Mr. Rohit Rajpal, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh and Ms. Monal Choksi have surreptitiously written off large sums of monies owed to the IOA,” Usha wrote.
Slams Kalyan Chaubey, Rohit Rajpal
Usha also slammed IOA’s former acting CEO Kalyan Chaubey for ‘bypassing’ the IOA’s General Assembly to grant affiliation to the Taekwondo Federation of India, a body that is not recognised by its World or Asian federations. Usha alleged Chaubey of “causing imminent harm to our hard-working Taekwondo athletes.”
Usha also accused Volleyball’s ad hoc committee and said: “A case of using the IOA’s PAN card by the Ad hoc committee in charge of Volleyball, headed by Mr. Rohit Rajpal and its member Ms. Alaknanda Ashok, is also being investigated since it was done without the necessary approvals.”
The 60-year-old Usha concluded by claiming that the move by the EC members “is part of a much broader attempt to hinder the progress of Indian sports and undermine the positive developments that we, as a collective, have worked hard to achieve.”
– With PTI inputs
