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| Usha hits back, says EC members 'more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain' | | |  Agencies
NEW DELHI, Sept 29: Accused of running the Indian Olympic Association in an "autocratic" manner, its president PT Usha on Sunday hit back at the revolting executive council members, saying they "seem more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain" than working for the betterment of the country's sport.
In an official press release, Usha also alleged that "some of these EC members have very questionable track records, including allegations of gender bias and even cases of sexual harassment filed against them".
"In my 45-year-long career as a sportsperson representing India ... I have never encountered individuals so indifferent to the aspirations of our athletes and our nation's sporting future ... these individuals seem more focused on self-serving power play and monetary gain through their prolonged presence and control in sports administration," Usha said.
"Further, it is essential to bring to light that some of these EC members have very questionable track records, including allegations of gender bias and even cases of sexual harassment filed against them," said the track legend without specifying any particular case or giving specific names.
On Saturday, 12 members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Executive Council shot off a letter to senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Jerome Poivey, accusing Usha of running the organization in an "autocratic" manner and with a "my way or the highway" approach.
They had sent the letter to Poivey, the head of Institutional Relations and Governance at the IOC, after Usha rejected their demand of removing Raghuram Iyer from the IOA CEO's post during a stormy executive council meeting.
The revolting EC members wrote to Poivey that Iyer's appointment is yet to be ratified and they will re-advertise for the position of the IOA CEO, "aiming to appoint a suitable candidate within the next two months".
Senior vice president Ajay H Patel, vice presidents Rajlaxmi Deo and Gagan Narang, Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, Joint Secretaries Alaknanda Ashok and Kalyan Chaubey, other Executive Council members Amitabh Sharma, Bhupender Singh Bajwa, Rohit Rajpal, Dola Banerjee, Harpal Singh and Yogeshwar Dutt had signed the letter.
Terming the accusations made by the 12 EC members as "malicious and false", Usha said they "are only intended to malign my leadership and the efforts of those working diligently towards the betterment of Indian sports".
"One of the most egregious claims made by these EC members is questioning Raghuram Iyer's appointment as IOA Chief Executive Officer. It is important to clarify that his appointment, made in January 2024, was carried out in strict accordance with the IOA constitution," she said in Sunday's press release.
"This malicious letter from the 12 members of the IOA EC 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. These actions not only tarnish the image of Indian sports."
Usha also levelled charges against Yadav and the Finance Committee members for "surreptitiously writing off large sums of money owed to the IOA".
"Recently, during the CAG audit, it has come to my attention that IOA Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, in connivance with the members of the IOA Finance Committee headed by Ajay Patel and comprising of Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, BS Bajwa, Amitabh Sharma, Rohit Rajpal, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh and Monal Choksi have surreptitiously written off large sums of monies owed to the IOA," she said. |
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