CHENNAI: Days after the Executive Committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ratified the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Athletes Commission will be meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. Majority of the members are expected to attend the meeting, the first after the CEO's ratification. The Athletes Commission is one of the most important cogs in the functioning of a National Olympic Committee (NOC).
The IOA too is in a rebuilding process and after the EC meeting to ratify CEO appointment later last month, this will be another step towards normalisation. Raghuram Iyer, the IOA CEO, as powers vested on him by the new IOA constitution, has already called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to clear the accounts by the passing the audits of 2023-24. The Athletes Commission meeting is another important pit-stop before the SGM.
One must be aware that the International Olympic Committee (IOC), because of the infighting between the IOA EC members and the IOA president (PT Usha), had stopped the Olympic Solidarity fund that is aimed at development of athletes through various robust programmes. The solidarity fund also helps to "train coaches and sports administrators, and promote the Olympic values". The IOC has also said that for a strong Olympic bid, a strong NOC is a must.
Though most of the commission members are expected to attend, multiple Olympic and world championships medallist PV Sindhu, Olympic and worlds medallist Mirabai Chanu and Asian Games medallist Rani Rampal might not be able to attend the meeting. Sindhu is competing at various BWF Tour events across the world. There is doubt over London Olympic and multiple worlds medallist MC Mary Kom's participation too. In her absence, vice chairperson, table tennis medallist at Asiad and Commonwealth Games, A Sharath Kamal, is likely to chair the event. Though he did not want to go into specifics about the meeting as of now but according to him the IOA, the CEO and all the commission members are together for development of sport and would work towards that.
Getting funds from IOC priority
The commission would be looking at getting the funds released for development of sports across the country. It is understood that the meeting would discuss ways to activate sporting programmes that would help the sporting ecosystem of the country grow and become more robust. Once the programmes are set and activated, the IOA can request the IOC to start releasing the funds for capacity building and to create an environment where athletes are recognised and thrive.
Apart from this, the commission need to evaluate all National Sports Federations (NSFs) and their Athletes Commission. If an NSF doesn't have one, the commission should discuss with the respective NSFs.
The IOA's constitution is athletes' driven and the commission knows their importance. Even the CEO has been pointing this out and felt the IOA should be athletes centric and athletes driven.
Though the AC had met around three times online, this is considered to be first serious in-person meeting.
Athletes Commission: Hmangte Chungneijang Mary Kom (Chairperson), A Sharath Kamal (Vice Chairperson), Om Prakash, Shiva Keshavan, Gagan Narang, Bajrang Lal, PV Sindhu, Bhavani Devi, Rani Rampal, S Mirabai Chanu. IOC Athletes Commission: Abhinav Bindra
