Usha calls SGM to discuss and vote on CEO’s appointment

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha on Thursday called a Special General Meeting (SGM) on October 25 to discuss the dispute over CEO Raghuram Iyer after the executive committee refused to ratify his appointment in an emergency meeting last week.
The agenda circulated by the IOA president also includes matters related to corruption and complaints received against some members of the executive council of the IOA regarding their ineligibility to hold office as per Sports Code.
Usha and the executive council of IOA are engaged in a tiff over CEO’s appointment and have exchanged emails accusing each other of violating the IOA constitution.
In his SGM notice to the National Sports Federation, Usha said IOA is facing “an extraordinary situation” and it is “essential to provide you with a clear understanding of the various issues involved and seek your guidance in moving forward.”
“The delay and denial by some members of the EC in accepting this appointment is affecting our governance and international standing and further, this has the potential to cause significant disruption to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s vision of hosting the summer Olympic Games 2036 in India.”
As per the IOA’s constitution the appointment of the CEO should have been done within one month. “After a failed attempt in February 2023, the Nomination Committee of the IOA, reinitiated the process in October 2023 and a CEO was selected and appointed in Jan 2024.
Usha said the entire process was undertaken as per the provisions of the IOA constitution and in a transparent manner. “However, despite the constitutional mandate and the recognition of this appointment by both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, certain members of the Executive Council (EC) have been refusing to accept the appointment.”
As per the agenda, Usha left it to the house to decide whether the IOA executive council is within its power to reject the appointment of CEO after the completion of the selection process as per IOA constitution (15.3.1).
Usha called for a discussion and vote on the matter as per Article 30.6 that says “in all matters relating to the interpretation and application of the Constitution, as well as in matters not specifically provided for herein, the decision of the General Assembly shall be final and binding on all concerned…”
An EC member said the IOA president cannot decide the agenda of SGM unilaterally. “It is the prerogative of the executive council,” said the member.
An official of a sports federation said Usha cannot call a SGM currently, pointing to Article 8.1 of the constitution that states, “SGM may be summoned at any time by the President IOA through the CEO and/or by decision of a simple majority of the Executive Council members.”
Usha also called for a discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit that found substantial sums owed to the IOA were written off by the treasurer Sahdev Yadav and the current members of the Finance Committee, even though the earlier Finance Committee had recommended that the matter be referred to the General Assembly of the IOA, if any such sums were to be written off.
The SGM will also “discuss the powers of the President IOA as per the Constitution of the IOA.”