CHENNAI: The tussle of power between the India Olympic Association (IOA) president and the Executive Committee (EC) has plummeted to new depths on Thursday. A day after IOA's EC issued 26 agenda points for the Special General Meeting (SGM), scheduled to be held on October 25, IOA president PT Usha called the move illegal and in violation with its own constitution.
The SGM was called by Usha and the agenda had 16 specific points including the discussion on the appointment of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). However, six days later, the IOA EC, supported by 12 members, had circulated a new set of agenda including discussion of no confidence motion against the IOA president. It was expected that the EC would bring in the no confidence motion.
The letter sent on Wednesday night was signed by Kalyan Chaubey in the capacity of joint secretary and acting CEO. He was re-appointed the acting CEO by the EC members during the acrimonious EC meeting held last week. Interestingly, last year the International Olympic Committee stopped communicating with the acting CEO because it was in violation of the IOA constitution.
Usha on Thursday called the EC letter illegal and said that she has already convened a meeting. "In accordance with Article 8.1 of the IOA Constitution, as the President of the IOA, I have already convened the SGM, with due notice issued on 3 October 2024. Further, I have not authorised Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, Jt Secretary IOA to convene any meeting or promulgate an agenda for the SGM on 25 October 2024,” she said in a statement. She said that he is "impersonating as acting CEO of the IOA".
The IOA president once again reiterated that the appointment of the CEO was made after an EC meeting in January and the objection of the members was regarding the CEO's salary. "Therefore, any other agenda or notice for the same meeting, including the one issued by Mr Kalyan Chaubey, is illegal, unauthorized, and must be viewed as being issued with malafide intent and needs to be disregarded," Usha said.
"Additionally, it is also worth noting that for the EC members to convene a SGM through the CEO, such a decision can only be taken at an EC Meeting as required by the IOA Constitution, which has not been convened in the recent past," she said.
It is understood that the appointment of the acting CEO has created a flutter within the IOA office as well. The IOA president issued an official letter asking the office staff to not take any instruction from any acting CEO or EC member who may assume such a position. She said all instructions must come from her or the CEO.
Another point in Usha's statement seems to be interesting is that some senior sports administrators called her to withdraw the meeting. "I was approached by senior sports administrators, who requested that I withdraw the agenda for the SGM and call off the meeting. I was further informed that 12 members of the IOA EC might issue "No Confidence" against me," she said in a statement.
As things stand, the SGM is expected to be volatile. The standoff is threatening to tear apart the IOA. What seems really sad is at least half the administrators are Olympians and even Olympic medallists. If EC members survive, Usha might have to go but if Usha manages to get CEO appointed, what happens to the EC needs to be seen.