IOA elections on December 5, athlete commission polls scheduled for November 3

The Indian Olympic Association has scheduled its Executive Council elections for December 5 and athlete commission polls for November 3. The timetable puts governance in focus as India pursues its 2036 Olympic bid.PT Usha backs a transparent electoral process ahead of India's 2036 Olympic bid. (Photo: PTI)New Delhi,Oct 10, 2026 15:55 ISTThe Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will elect its new Executive Council on December 5, five days before the current committee's term ends. The election process began on Saturday with the appointment of former Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Srivastava as returning officer, at a time when India's ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games has brought the body's governance into sharper focus.Srivastava, a retired IAS officer who served as Election Commissioner of Delhi and Chandigarh, will oversee elections to the Executive Council, the Athletes' Commission and the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOMs) category."The 2026 elections mark an important milestone in strengthening good governance, transparency and accountability within the Indian Olympic Movement. Our objective is to build strong, credible and athlete-centric institutions, fully aligned with the Olympic Charter and the national sports governance framework," IOA president PT Usha said."The appointment of an experienced former Election Commissioner as Electoral Officer/Returning Officer underlines our commitment to an independent, transparent and credible electoral process. The IOA will provide all necessary support while fully respecting the independence of the electoral process," she added. ATHLETES' COMMISSION VOTES IN NOVEMBERThe first major election in the calendar will be for the IOA Athletes' Commission, with polling, counting and the declaration of results scheduled for November 3. National Sports Federations have until 2 pm on October 11 to nominate two athlete representatives through their respective Athletes' Commissions.The new commission will have 10 elected members, five men and five women, with rules requiring representation from Olympic-category sports and athletes who have achieved success at major competitions. The process to identify Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit began on September 18, when applications opened for inclusion in the relevant roster. Eligible applicants can submit their forms and supporting documents until October 18. The elections will be conducted under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the 2026 rules, the amended IOA Constitution and the applicable election regulations.2036 OLYMPIC BID ADDS TO THE STAKESThe leadership transition comes as India pursues its bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games in Ahmedabad. The country's proposed vision, titled "Rising Together", seeks to present the Games as an opportunity to expand sporting participation, engage young people and bring more communities into the Olympic movement.India is one of seven interested parties in dialogue with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), alongside Germany, Hungary, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and Turkiye. The IOC's process to determine a host for 2036 remains ongoing, with the field of interested parties yet to be narrowed down.Usha became the first woman to head the IOA when she took charge in December 2022. The December election will determine the body's next Executive Council as India continues to pursue its Olympic ambitions, making the administration's leadership and governance an important part of the country's preparations.- Ends