PT Usha Nominated for IOA Elections Despite SOM Setback
PT Usha's New Role in IOA Elections
New Delhi [India] - November 12: PT Usha, the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), has received a nomination to the electoral college for the forthcoming IOA Executive Council elections. This nomination keeps her in the running for the top position, even after her recent disappointment in the Sportsperson of Merit (SOM) selection process.
Usha will represent the Ice Hockey Federation of India, sharing her nomination with Harjinder Singh. This news follows her unsuccessful bid for a spot among the IOA's Sportspersons of Merit, where Olympic medalist Saina Nehwal and former athletes Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal, and Dola Banerjee were selected in the women's category.
In the race for the four available positions in the women's SOM, Usha and Anitha Paul Durai were unable to secure a spot, as the four elected candidates surpassed them.
Anju Bobby George led the voting with 53 valid votes, followed by Rani Rampal with 50, Dola Banerjee with 45, and Saina Nehwal with 43. Usha garnered 40 votes, while Anitha Paul Durai received only six. A total of 80 votes were cast in the women's SOM category.
Although Usha's chances in the presidential race seemed diminished after missing out on the SOM, her nomination to the electoral college presents her with another chance to vie for the top role.
The SOM representatives, along with all 60 members nominated by the National Sports Federations (NSFs), are eligible to run for positions in the new IOA Executive Council.
In the men's category, four candidates were elected unopposed after eight of the twelve contenders withdrew. Olympic medalists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt, and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, have secured their roles as male SOM representatives.
The SOM representatives will join the IOA General Assembly, allowing them to vote and run in the Executive Council elections scheduled for December 5. Additionally, one male and one female SOM representative will gain seats in the Executive Council, providing them with a direct influence in the association's governance.