Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha faced another intense confrontation with the IOA’s Executive Council on Thursday regarding the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as CEO. A majority of the council members voiced their disapproval of Iyer’s appointment, leading to a stalemate in the meeting called for the ratification of his role. Despite the opposition, Usha stood firm in her decision and refused to remove Iyer from the position, deepening the ongoing dispute.
Following the meeting, Usha expressed frustration over the Executive Council’s demand to restart the CEO appointment process, saying, “They want to re-initiate the whole process, they want to re-advertise afresh. It’s like saying we don’t want this person and let us start the process from scratch.”
The appointment process, which took two years, was at risk of being undone, potentially jeopardizing India’s bid for the 2036 Olympics. “This is going to have repercussions (from the IOC). It can jeopardize India’s chances of bidding for and hosting the 2036 Olympics,” Usha warned.
Despite Usha’s concerns, 10 council members present at the meeting issued a statement reaffirming their decision to restart the hiring process. “The ratification of Mr. Iyer as the CEO was not approved. Further, it was decided that the process of the appointment of the CEO be re-initiated with new terms of reference,” the statement read.
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) Director, Jerome Poivy, attended the meeting virtually but refrained from intervening, calling it an “internal matter of the IOA.”
One of the main issues surrounding Iyer’s appointment is his salary. Usha revealed that the salary—set at Rs 20 lakh per month, along with perks—was a major sticking point for the Executive Council. She offered to renegotiate the amount, but the council remained adamant about starting the hiring process anew.
“The EC meeting held in January was video-recorded. I asked each one of them whether they agree to the appointment of Iyer as the CEO or not. All of them said Iyer is good and everything about him is all right. Only his salary will have to be negotiated,” Usha said, noting the inconsistency in their current opposition.
Usha emphasized that the delay in appointing a CEO could harm India’s chances of bidding for the 2036 Olympics. “The Future Host Commission agreed to have a dialogue with us only after the appointment (of the CEO) was done. The CEO will have to lead the negotiations, we have to show professionalism,” she explained.
She also noted that the IOC had been patient with India regarding the issue, but warned that further delays could lead to serious consequences for India’s Olympic aspirations.
As tensions escalate, the Executive Council’s stance remains unchanged, with acting CEO Kalyan Chaubey continuing to handle the duties of the position for now. Meanwhile, Usha vowed to clean up the IOA and ensure a resolution, stating, “I am not a quitter, I am not going anywhere without cleaning the IOA.”
