PT Usha Defends Indian Olympic Association Against False Allegations
New Delhi, India – PT Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has responded to false and baseless allegations made by 12 IOA Executive Council (EC) members. In a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) Director of International Relations, Jerome Poivey, Usha stated that these accusations aim to tarnish the leadership and efforts to improve Indian sports.
Usha, a former athlete with a 45-year career, expressed her disappointment, saying, “In my 45-year career as a sportsperson representing India at the highest levels, I have never encountered individuals so indifferent to the aspirations of our athletes and the nation’s sporting future.” She criticized the EC members for focusing on self-serving power plays instead of supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games in India.
Appointment of Raghuram Iyer
Usha clarified that the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as IOA Chief Executive Officer was conducted in strict accordance with the IOA constitution. She explained that the appointment followed Article 15.3.1 of the IOA Constitution, which requires the Executive Council to appoint a CEO within one month of the position becoming vacant. The CEO must be a management professional with at least 10 years of experience and a turnover of at least Rs. 25 crore.
Despite his official appointment in January 2024, Iyer has not received any payment due to certain EC members obstructing progress. Usha questioned their commitment to transparency, noting their refusal to allow the recording of Executive Council meetings.
Other Issues
Usha also mentioned that the use of the IOA’s PAN card by the ad hoc committee in charge of Volleyball, led by Rohit Rajpal and Alaknanda Ashok, is under investigation. Additionally, former acting CEO Kalyan Chaubey bypassed the IOA General Assembly to grant affiliation to the Taekwondo Federation of India, which is not recognized by the World or Asian Federations, causing harm to Taekwondo athletes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Usha reiterated that the malicious letter from the 12 EC members is part of a broader attempt to hinder the progress of Indian sports. She reaffirmed her commitment to integrity, transparency, and the upliftment of Indian sports, stating, “We will not allow such baseless allegations to derail our mission to empower our athletes and bring glory to our country on the global stage.”
Doubts Revealed
PT Usha -: PT Usha is a famous Indian athlete known for her achievements in track and field. She is often called the ‘Queen of Indian track and field.’
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) -: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is the organization responsible for selecting athletes to represent India in the Olympics and other international sports events.
False allegations -: False allegations are claims or accusations that are not true. In this context, some people are saying things about the IOA that are not correct.
Executive Council members -: Executive Council members are important people in an organization who help make big decisions. In this case, they are part of the IOA.
Raghuram Iyer -: Raghuram Iyer is the person appointed as the CEO of the Indian Olympic Association.
CEO -: CEO stands for Chief Executive Officer. This person is the top boss in an organization and makes important decisions.
IOA constitution -: The IOA constitution is a set of rules and guidelines that the Indian Olympic Association follows to run smoothly.
Delayed salary payments -: Delayed salary payments mean that people are not getting their money for work on time.
Misuse of PAN card -: A PAN card is a special card in India used for financial transactions. Misuse means using it in a wrong or dishonest way.
Integrity -: Integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles.
Transparency -: Transparency means being open and clear about what you are doing so that everyone can see and understand.
