Sindhu, Sharath in new IOA athletes body

In a major step towards athletes having a say in the running of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the IOA Athletes’ Commission was formed here on Monday with some of the country's illustrious names in it.

The electoral college of the Athletes’ Commission consisted of 42 athletes nominated by 36 National Sports Federations. The withdrawal of 32 athletes by noon left exactly the number required to fill the 10 posts in the body. After examining the criteria as per the IOA charter, the names of those who made it unopposed was announced by Returning Officer (RO) Umesh Sinha.

As mandated in the newly amended IOA constitution, the commission has equal representation of male and female athletes. Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra and former hockey captain Sardar Singh, both India representatives in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes Commission and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Athletes Commission, are ex-officio members with voting rights. The 12 members will name a chair and vice-chair.

The Athletes Commission will have its representative in the IOA executive body and various committees. It will act as a link between athletes and IOA with the aim to ensure that athletes become part of the decision-making process.

The commission will elect its representatives (a male and female athlete) to the IOA general assembly and executive council. It will also select eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) for the IOA general assembly. They will have voting rights.

“The changes that are being brought about are most welcome by all the sportspersons here. The prominent names of Indian sports, Olympic medallists, are part of the commission who are coming forward to serve all the athletes,” table tennis ace Achanta Sharath Kamal, who is part of the commission, said.

Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, who is a member, described it as a significant move.

“It was very important for athletes to get a representation in IOA, get their voices heard. I have a busy schedule but I will try to find time to contribute,” said the badminton star, who was present on the occasion.

Six-time Winter Olympics luge participant Shiva Keshavan was also part of the Athletes Commission set up in 2019, but there was no real representation of athletes within IOA then. He said the new IOA constitution ushers in much needed reforms that they have been fighting for.

“It is a historic day for sports in India. Athletes have been brought into the heart of IOA; so far, they had been completely excluded,” said Keshavan.

“The earlier Commission was mainly nominated. One of the most important things now is that it will be an elected body, which opens the door of athletes' representation on various panels of IOA as well as executive committee, selecting eminent sportspersons to be part of IOA assembly, etc.,” said Keshavan.

He hoped this is also adopted by all sports federations.

“This process will give athletes a say in decision making and also create pathways for athletes to become sports administrators.”

Sharath pointed out how athletes have at times faced issues without anyone to speak for them.

“We are busy playing tournaments and often we had to do so much of paper work to get funds cleared under schemes. When Rathore sir (former union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, shooting medallist in the 2004 Olympics) was sports minister, it was easy for him to understand.”

Gopichand for IOA top post

Former All England champion Pullela Gopichand is the frontrunner to become the next IOA president. The elections are scheduled on December 10. Gopichand is the vice-president of the Badminton Association of India. “There is no information as such. It is more in the media right now. We have to wait and see,” Gopichand said when contacted.

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