Abhinav Bindra took to social media and shared his letter to IOA President PT Usha and CEO Raghuram Iyer, raising questions over the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) election process, revealing that he decided not to pursue his candidature in the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections after seeking clarification on an apparent discrepancy between the IOA Constitution and the recently notified election rules.
In a letter on October 31, eight days before the SOM elections, Bindra expressed disappointment that his specific constitutional concern remained unanswered despite receiving a response from the Electoral Officer.
“I had also followed up and, while I did receive a response indicating which rules were being followed, my specific question regarding the apparent inconsistency between those rules and the IOA Constitution remained unanswered,” Abhinav Bindra wrote.
The Olympic champion clarified that he had independently decided not to pursue his candidature. However, he maintained that the issue he raised went beyond his own participation in the electoral process and was relevant to the larger interests of Indian sport.
“I must admit to feeling a little disappointed that a genuine question concerning the interpretation of our own Constitution could not be addressed,” he added.
Bindra’s objection is to an inconsistency between Article 3.7 of the IOA Constitution and the recently notified rules governing the election of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit. He said that while there could be a reasonable explanation for the discrepancy, he would have welcomed an opportunity to understand it.
Emphasising the need for transparency and accountability, Bindra called for constitutional provisions, electoral rules and administrative procedures to be clearly aligned, leaving little room for ambiguity.
“Good governance, to my mind, is not simply about following procedures. It is about creating confidence in those procedures. It is about ensuring that athletes and members feel heard, that questions raised in good faith receive due consideration, and that the institution remains open to constructive engagement,” he wrote.
He also expressed hope that the forthcoming IOA elections would be conducted smoothly, transparently and in a spirit of fairness and mutual respect, adding that the process should strengthen confidence in the Olympic movement.
The letter comes against the backdrop of a significant setback for IOA President PT Usha in the recent SOM elections. Usha, who had been seeking representation through the sportspersons’ category, was not among those elected. Saina Nehwal, Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal and Dola Banerjee emerged among the elected sportsperson representatives, while PT Usha was placed fifth when the votes were counted.
While Bindra has clarified that he is not seeking to prolong the matter or question anyone’s intentions, his central message is that institutions must be willing to address legitimate questions.
IOA elections are slated for 5th December and India will be getting a new President to not only run the National Olympic Committee but lead the way for the 2036 Olympic bidding process as well.
Bureau Report
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