The first step towards ringing in a wholesome change in the functioning of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was taken on Monday when a 10-member athletes commission was elected without any voting under the watch of returning officer Umesh Sinha, who will also be presiding over the national Olympic committee’s elections on December 10.
Many sportspersons thought that Monday’s elections for the athletes commission would mark the start of their administrative journey, apart from focusing on their respective playing careers. But, for that to happen, a fair and impartial voting, which forms the backbone of the country’s democratic values, needed to take place.
As things stood, out of the 42 names of sportspersons received from the electoral college, 32 of them withdrew their candidature in a sudden change of heart, which paved the way for remaining 10 to be elected unopposed without any contest. It’s been learnt that a Sunday dinner meeting at the residence of a union minister cleared the path for their unchallenged election.
The athletes commission will now have five-time world champion MC Mary Kom (boxing), two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu (badminton), Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting), London Games bronze winner Gagan Narang (shooting), multiple-time Asian Games and CWG medallist Achanta Sharath Kamal (table tennis), former India’s women’s team captain Rani Rampal (hockey), Olympian Bhavani Devi (fencing), Bajrang Lal (rower), O P Karhana (shot putter) and Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan (luge).
There were clear instructions in the election notification that for the voting to happen in a physical mode and to be elected to the athletes commission, a sportsperson nominated would have to be present in person at the venue. But, as Sinha put out, “there’s always a glitch which is possible”. Mirabai and Bhavani were allowed to join the meeting online and were subsequently elected .
A total of 36 national sports federations (NSFs) had nominated 71 sportspersons (one male and one female) who formed part of the electoral college. The Rowing Federation of India (RFI) had sent the name of only one male athlete. A total of 39 sportspersons were originally in the fray when the list was put up on the IOA’s website on Sunday night.
