NEW DELHI: A crucial meeting of the Indian Olympic Association ( IOA ) to broker peace between president P T Usha and Executive Council (EC) members was on Wednesday postponed till Nov 10 due to “unavoidable circumstances”. This comes in the backdrop of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) warning IOA on governance issues.
The IOA’s Special General Meeting (SGM) was originally scheduled for Oct 25 at the Olympic Bhawan here. IOA director George Mathew – on the directives of Usha – issued an office order informing the EC members and other stakeholders about the postponement of the SGM.
Though the meeting was expected to be a stormy affair with EC members bringing no confidence against Usha to replace her from the post, there was hope that IOA office bearers would set aside their differences to run the organisation in a professional manner given IOC’s recent strong stand against IOA. IOC recently cut funding to India and suspended all payments to the sports body till the time it “acts quickly and responsibly to remedy all outstanding governance issues”. Given the current state of affairs IOC could even suspend/ban IOA.
In an official letter to IOA’s members and affiliated state units, the organisation’s joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey informed: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, the SGM of IOA has been postponed to Nov 10 at the same time (11 am) and venue (Olympic Bhawan).”
Chaubey, who is the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) president, also signed the letter as IOA’s acting CEO. This was despite Usha accusing him of “impersonating” as the IOA’s CEO when Raghuram Iyer was officially appointed to the position by her.
Iyer’s appointment hasn’t been ratified by the IOA’s EC till date and the issue has resulted in a major bone of contention between Usha and revolting EC members. Usha had earlier called the SGM agenda – including a proposed no confidence vote against her – set by Chaubey both illegal and in violation of the IOA constitution.
The IOA’s Special General Meeting (SGM) was originally scheduled for Oct 25 at the Olympic Bhawan here. IOA director George Mathew – on the directives of Usha – issued an office order informing the EC members and other stakeholders about the postponement of the SGM.
Though the meeting was expected to be a stormy affair with EC members bringing no confidence against Usha to replace her from the post, there was hope that IOA office bearers would set aside their differences to run the organisation in a professional manner given IOC’s recent strong stand against IOA. IOC recently cut funding to India and suspended all payments to the sports body till the time it “acts quickly and responsibly to remedy all outstanding governance issues”. Given the current state of affairs IOC could even suspend/ban IOA.
In an official letter to IOA’s members and affiliated state units, the organisation’s joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey informed: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, the SGM of IOA has been postponed to Nov 10 at the same time (11 am) and venue (Olympic Bhawan).”
Chaubey, who is the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) president, also signed the letter as IOA’s acting CEO. This was despite Usha accusing him of “impersonating” as the IOA’s CEO when Raghuram Iyer was officially appointed to the position by her.
Iyer’s appointment hasn’t been ratified by the IOA’s EC till date and the issue has resulted in a major bone of contention between Usha and revolting EC members. Usha had earlier called the SGM agenda – including a proposed no confidence vote against her – set by Chaubey both illegal and in violation of the IOA constitution.
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