New Delhi: Fight between Indian Olympic Association ,IOA) chairman PT Usha And rebel executive council members took another ugly turn when a dozen of them wrote a letter to senior IOC Officer jerome poivy He accused the legendary athlete of running the organization in an “autocratic” manner.
There was a heated exchange in the IOA meeting during Thursday’s meeting, where embattled Usha rejected Raghuram Iyer’s appeal to remove him from the post of CEO.
In a letter to Poivi, head of institutional relations and governance at International Olympic Committee (IOC), who participated in the stormy meeting of the IOA Executive Council via video-conference, with the 12 EC members saying they want the national body to be governed “democratically”.
Usha, on her part, has already said that Iyer’s appointment was made in strict adherence to the IOA constitution in the EC meeting on January 5, which was videographed and there was no reason to go back on that decision.
EC members wrote to Poivi that they would re-advertise for the post of IOA CEO, “with the aim of appointing a suitable candidate collectively and with the President within the next two months”.
“While appreciating your understanding, we are deeply concerned by the conduct of the IOA President, whose autocratic behavior has always been regrettable, and we also regret subjecting you to an experience that was designed to undermine his views and concerns. Has become the norm for his colleagues at every meeting or occasion.
“Their ‘my way or the highway’ approach contradicts the democratic principles envisaged in the IOA Constitution. While we are confident that you will believe that all Council members strive to have an approach of inclusivity and consensus while aligning views across diversity ” he said in the letter sent on Friday.
Senior Vice President Ajay H Patel, Vice Presidents Rajlakshmi Dev and Gagan Narang, Treasurer Sahdev Yadav, Joint Secretaries Alaknanda Ashok and Kalyan Choubey, other Executive Council members Amitabh Sharma, Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, Rohit Rajpal, Dola Banerjee, Harpal Singh and Yogeshwar Dutt signed. Did it. Letter.
Chaubey and Harpal had attended Thursday’s EC meeting online, where Usha had rejected the majority members’ demand for Iyer’s removal.
Interestingly, both sides have different versions about Poives’ intervention during Thursday’s EC meeting.
“We are grateful that you finally stepped up and made clear to the President and the entire Council that the organization must be governed democratically with the participation, inclusivity and unanimity of the entire Executive Council with a majority vote.
“We appreciate your reiteration at the end of the meeting that decisions within the IOA should be taken by simple majority and this should be put to the President,” the 12 EC members wrote to Poivi.
On the other hand, Usha had said after Thursday’s meeting that Poivey advised the rebel EC members to confirm Iyer’s appointment.
Usha said, “In the last minute of the meeting, Jerome was telling them (EC members) that you should not do this, you should confirm this (Iyer’s appointment). I am saying this because I want to help you. Am.” Said.
He also said that rebel EC members had assured Poivi earlier in the month that they would confirm Iyer’s appointment.
“Last time he (Jerome) came to Delhi for the OCA function, we all were talking informally and he asked me to call a meeting of the EC and negotiate on the CEO salary and resolve the issue.
“At that time all these people (rebel EC members) were agreeing and now they are changing their stand. So, he (Jerome) was also thinking that ‘last time you (EC members) agreed to salary talks and Now you are telling that the process should start again, how is this possible?” He retorted.
Usha said, “I feel very bad for him and in the end I even apologized to him.”
The bone of contention is Iyer’s salary of Rs 20 lakh per month along with other allowances.
Usha had said that she had offered to renegotiate Iyer’s salary in Thursday’s meeting but the 12 EC members were adamant on starting the process afresh.
He said the latest developments could jeopardize India’s chances of bidding for 2036 olympics,
“Only after the appointment (of the CEO) took place, the Future Host Commission agreed to negotiate with us, otherwise they would not have agreed to it. The CEO has to lead the negotiations, we have to show professionalism, otherwise how can we get our bid. Have to submit?” he asked.
She said, “They want to start the whole process again. This could jeopardize India’s chances of bidding and hosting the 2036 Olympics. I am not going to accept this. I have conveyed this to the IOC. Is.”
She has already sent an e-mail to Poives, saying that “the alleged minutes of the meeting jointly signed by the 10 EC members (on Thursday) are invalid”.
The rebel members had said in the ‘minute’ that “Acting CEO Kalyan Choubey, who is the Joint Secretary of the IOA, will continue to discharge the duties as per the provisions laid down in the Constitution”.
