NEW DELHI: Indian Olympic Association President P.T. Usha has issued a show cause notice to the body's Treasurer, Sahdev Yadav, following a complaint alleging that his election contravenes the country's National Sports Code.
In a letter dated 10th September, Usha requested Yadav to provide a response by 24th September.
"I am writing to you to bring to your attention a formal complaint that the Indian Olympic Association has recently received concerning your eligibility to contest the position of Treasurer in the last elections.
"The complainant cites a ruling from the Hon'ble High Court, which, according to the complainant, raises concerns about your eligibility to stand for election," Usha wrote in her letter to Yadav.
A copy of the letter has also been sent to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the International Olympic Committee’s Associate Director of NOC (National Olympic Committee) Relations Department, Jerome Poivey.
It has been alleged that Yadav and some other officials are continuing in office in violation of the age and tenure cap set by the Sports Code, which mandates that they step aside after 12 consecutive years in office.
Yadav has been a former Secretary of the Indian Weightlifting Federation and has been on its board for 15 years.
The complainant has raised similar concerns about non-adherence to the Sports Code against other IOA members, including National Rifle Association Vice-President Ajay Patel, Wushu Federation of India’s Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, and Rowing Federation of India President Rajlakshmi Singh Deo, among others.
The complainant, whose identity has been withheld by the IOA, has demanded the immediate removal of these individuals from the IOA Executive Committee.
This development adds to the ongoing turf war within the IOA.
Usha has been at odds with the body’s Executive Council members since earlier this year, alleging that they have been trying to sideline her through acts of defiance, including issuing termination letters to an official appointed by her.
This followed a majority of EC members claiming that they had signed a suspension order declaring Raghuram Iyer’s appointment as IOA CEO in January as null and void.
The EC members also claimed that they had "terminated" Ajay Narang from the post of Executive Assistant to the IOA President.
Usha acknowledged the receipt of the termination letter served to Narang by the EC members but rejected it as "absolute nullity".