New Delhi: Less than two years into her tenure as the first female president of the Indian Olympic Association, legendary athlete PT Usha may confront a no-confidence vote during the Special General Meeting slated for October 25.
The agenda, set forth by the Executive Council under item number 26, includes a ‘discussion and consideration of a No Confidence motion against the President due to alleged constitutional breaches and actions that could be harmful to Indian sports.’
Usha has been embroiled in an extended conflict with members of the IOA’s Executive Council, with accusations being exchanged. As the first female leader of the IOA, she has served show cause notices to several Executive Council members for purportedly breaching eligibility standards.
Conversely, her detractors have levelled charges of ‘high-handedness’ against Usha. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has also scrutinized her over the contract with Reliance for a hospitality lounge at the Paris Olympics. The CAG has claimed that ‘undue favours’ were granted to Reliance and that Usha’s decisions resulted in a financial loss of Rs 24 crore to the IOA. Usha has firmly refuted these claims.
Additional points on the agenda cover a review of the powers of the IOA president, ‘discussion on the specifics of sponsorship contracts’ undertaken by Usha, the appointment of a CEO, a Rs 1.75 crore loan to the Weightlifting Federation of India, and show cause notices issued to several Executive Council members, including IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav, Ajay Patel, Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, and Alaknanda Ashok.
