IOA row gets murkier as Usha lambasts Chaubey

A livid PT Usha, in a press release, termed Chaubey's action as "both illegal and in violation of the IOA Constitution".

Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha Thursday barred the IOA staff from taking any instructions from joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey and the rest of the Executive Council members while declaring that the agenda unveiled by him for the October 25 Special General Body Meeting was "illegal and unauthorised".

On Wednesday, Chaubey issued a circular on official IOA letterhead, listing 26 agenda items for the SGM to be held in New Delhi on October 25. One of the items was a vote of no confidence against Usha "in light of alleged constitutional violations and actions potentially detrimental to Indian sports".

Chaubey, who had issued the circular "pursuant to a directive from 12 members of IOA EC", had signed it as IOA's joint secretary and acting CEO. Usha declared that Chaubey does not hold the acting CEO's post.

He had earlier served as IOA's acting CEO before Raghuram Iyer took charge of the post in January.

Usha, in a press release, termed Chaubey's action as "both illegal and in violation of the IOA Constitution".

"In accordance with Article 8.1 of the IOA Constitution, as the President of the IOA, I have already convened the SGM, with due notice issued on 3 October 2024. Further, I have not authorised Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, Jt Secretary IOA to convene any meeting or promulgate an agenda for the SGM on 25 October 2024," she said.

"Therefore, any other agenda or notice for the same meeting, including the one issued by Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, is illegal, unauthorized, and must be viewed as being issued with malafide intent and needs to be disregarded."

Usha had said that Iyer's appointment was approved by the Executive Council (EC) in a meeting on January 5, while his salary was the only issue left to be negotiated.

Twelve members (out of 15) of the IOA Executive Council, including Chaubey, had refused to ratify Iyer's appointment as CEO.

After the acrimonious EC meeting held on September 26, the majority of the EC members had said in a letter sent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Chaubey still remained as IOA's acting CEO.

"It has come to my attention that Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, impersonating himself as the Acting CEO of the IOA, has issued an agenda using official IOA stationery for a SGM ... This action is both illegal and in violation of the IOA Constitution," Usha said.

"I want to make it unequivocally clear that the current and only CEO of the IOA is Mr. Raghuram lyer, who officially joined the IOA on 15 January 2024. Despite certain members of the IOA EC denying his appointment and withholding his salary for the past nine months, Mr. lyer continues to serve in his role.

According to Article 8.1 of the IOA Constitution, SGM may be summoned at any time by the IOA President through the CEO and/or by decision of a simple majority of the Executive Council members.

But, Usha argued that the EC can convene the SGM only after a formal meeting.

"Additionally, it is also worth noting that for the EC members to convene a SGM through the CEO, such a decision can only be taken at an EC Meeting as required by the IOA Constitution, which has not been convened in the recent past," she said in Thursday's press release.

On October 3, Usha had convened the SGM to be held on October 25 at the IOA headquarters here. One of the main items in the agenda was to decide whether the IOA EC was duty-bound to appoint the CEO after the completion of the selection process by the Nomination Committee.

The circular issued by Chaubey on Wednesday had 26 agenda items. The last item says: "To discuss and consider a motion of no confidence against the president in light of alleged constitutional violations and actions potentially detrimental to Indian sports."

While convening the SGM, Usha had said that "this being an SGM, no other agenda items shall be taken up except as provided in the present notice".

The revolting EC members have not directly contested this assertion from Usha but they have implicitly made known their contrary view by the circular from Chaubey.

Usha also revealed that she was approached by "certain senior sports administrators" who requested her to withdraw the agenda for the SGM and call off the meeting.

"The illegal notice issued by Mr. Chaubey now confirms my belief that there is a group of individuals working behind the scenes to disrupt the functioning of the IOA. These individuals clearly have much to hide and are using select EC members to shield themselves from scrutiny," she said.

Passing a no confidence motion requires the presence of three-fourth of total members to form a quorum and support of two-third voting members.