PT Usha: In a losing battle for IOA re-election, but does she have a case?

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) may be getting ready to host the next edition of Commonwealth Games and in race for the 2036 Olympics bid, but PT Usha – the legendary athlete who had been fronting both bids – is unlikely to be a part of it soon. Having lost the contentious online elections for a place among the four women Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM), she has alleged ‘fraud’ and sought intervention from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 62-year-old’s ambitions of a second term at the helm took a body blow when she finished fifth among six women candidates for the election of SOM. Anju Bobby George, former long jumper and a bronze medallist in 2003 Worlds, topped the poll with 53 votes, followed by former hockey captain Rani Rampal (50), former archer Dola Banerjee (45) and Olympic medallist shuttler Saina Nehwal (43). Usha received 40 while and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai just six.

The election of women SOMs has brought the power struggle in the umbrella body out into the open with the battlelines being drawn between two fellow Malayalis - Usha and Anju. The former, whose four-year reign was marked with serious acrimony between her and the executive committee members which brought all activities in a limbo for close to two years, wants a review of Anju’s tally of votes in particular.    

Speaking to The Tribune, Usha said: ‘’Winning and losing is normal but results have to be fair. I am certain that this (result) is fraudulent’’, she said. ‘’Mathematically, it is impossible for her (Anju) to get 53 votes!’’, she insisted, claiming that more than 25 voters had personally confirmed their exclusive support for her. The official record comprising of National Sports Federations (NSF) makes for 80 voters, but the total alone do not allow her allegation to be verified as each elector could support more than one candidate.

 Incidentally, the nomination of four men SOMs went uncontested as eight others - who were in the running - had withdrawn their candidature. The chosen four are Gagan Narang, bronze medallist shooter in 2012 London Olympics; boxer Vjiender Singh, bronze medallist in Beijing 2008; wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, bronze medallist in London 2012 and Kamlesh Mehta, a multiple national champion table tennis icon.

 The eight elected SOMs will be a part of the electoral college which will vote for the new IOA president and excom on 5^th December – though one can expect a lot of fireworks in the build-up to it. Narang, 43 and already a IOA Vice President, is extremely articulate and has already emerged as a frontrunner to succeed Usha for the top job.

When contacted by National Herald, Kolkata-based Dola Banerjee refused to comment on the allegations raised by the outgoing president. ‘’I had been a member of the outgoing and would not like to comment on this controversy,’’ said Dola, a multiple Olympian and gold medallist in 2007 World Archery Championships.

 While Usha’s comeback plans have taken a major hit, the IOA constitution still has a provision to ensure that she can contest the elections. ‘’As the existing president, she can be eligible to contest if any NSF proposes her name and there is a seconder. Mind you, Usha still has her backers as she polled 40 votes by herself,’’ informed sources in the IOA said.

 Interestingly enough, Usha had red flagged about a breach of clause 1.9 of the IOA’s electoral Code of Conduct a day before the election when she lodged an objection over the circulation of a WhatsApp message from one of the contestants - seeking votes for the four candidates grouped under the name New Bharat Panel.

 After the results, Usha criticised Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, the official overseeing the elections, for what she considered a failure to act on at least four complaints of possible irregularities. She accused Bhupinder Singh Bajwa and Yogeshwar Dutt, both members of the IOA Executive Council, of improperly soliciting votes and alleged that Sanjay Mishra, secretary of the Badminton Association of India (BAI), had pressured athletes to show email acknowledgements confirming their votes.

 ‘’The voters were under pressure’’, Usha was quoted by The Tribune, claiming that some electors had been pressured by people invoking supposed backing from the Prime Minister's Office or the Sports Minister. It looks like a losing battle for the iconic athlete then – though she is not willing to go down without a fight!