PT Usha loses key Indian Olympic body poll in big blow to 2nd term as president

PT Usha failed to secure a place among the four athletes elected to the IOA General Assembly, dealing a setback to her bid for a second term as president ahead of the December 5 elections.Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha lost the governing body's SOM polls on Monday (PTI Photo)New Delhi,Nov 9, 2026 19:21 ISTIndian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha suffered a major setback in her bid for a second term after failing to secure one of the four women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) positions on Monday, less than a month before the association's December 5 elections.Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola Banerjee and former India women's hockey captain Rani Rampal were elected from a field of six candidates. Usha and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai missed out.The result is significant because the eight elected SOM representatives, four men and four women, become members of the IOA General Assembly, making them eligible to contest and vote in the December 5 elections for the new Executive Council. Usha had followed this route before being elected IOA president in December 2022, becoming the first woman to head the country's Olympic body.Usha's defeat has put her hopes of securing a second term in serious doubt. Having failed to enter the General Assembly through the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit route, she can contest the December 5 elections only if she is nominated to the General Assembly by a National Sports Federation (NSF), a possibility considered unlikely, according to PTI news agency.The General Assembly is the electoral body that will choose the IOA's new Executive Council for the 2026-30 term. The women's contest was held online, with 80 existing SOMs, comprising 40 men and 40 women, eligible to vote.A WHATSAPP CAMPAIGN AGAINST USHA? The result came a day after Usha lodged a formal complaint with the Electoral Officer against former archer Banerjee over an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct.Usha objected to a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing Banerjee's name, seeking votes for a group called the 'New Bharat Panel'. The message reportedly named four candidates, along with their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers, and urged voters to elect them. The panel comprised Banerjee, Nehwal, Bobby George and Rampal.In her complaint, Usha cited Clause 1.9 of the Model Code of Conduct, issued on October 30, which prohibits candidate promotion through publicity, including new media and social networking platforms. She also referred to clauses requiring candidates to campaign fairly and maintain dignity and respect towards fellow contestants.Usha sought an investigation into the message, an explanation from those concerned and appropriate action if a violation was established. A screenshot of the communication was attached to her complaint. There was no publicly available ruling on the complaint before the voting outcome was announced.The women's election was the only contested segment of the SOM polls after four male candidates were elected unopposed on Saturday. Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, secured the four men's positions after eight candidates withdrew.The withdrawals had added to the controversy surrounding the electoral process. Former National Convener of Clean Sports India BVP Rao alleged that some candidates had withdrawn after receiving calls from the Sports Ministry. He questioned the circumstances surrounding the withdrawals and said athletes should be allowed to exercise their electoral rights without pressure.A Sports Ministry source, however, rejected the allegations as baseless, maintaining that the IOA elections were conducted independently and that the ministry had not interfered.The New Bharat Panel message was another flashpoint in an electoral process that had already seen allegations of pressure and interference from different quarters. However, the claims have not been independently established.The December 5 election will determine the IOA leadership for the next four-year term. Narang, who is among the four male SOMs elected unopposed, is also a prominent figure in the emerging presidential contest.- Ends