“Start working as a team for the betterment of the athletes and the Olympic Movement in India” - IOA President PT Usha to EC members

The internal feud between the Indian Olympic Association’s president PT Usha and some Executive Committee members reached a crescendo with the president sending a stern written communication and warning that if the International Olympic Committee intervenes, it could result in India’s suspension on the global stage, especially with the Paris Olympics 2024 just a few months away.

The feud comes after two appointments made by Usha - executive assistant Ajay Narang and IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer.

The bone of contention of the EC’s members’ grievance is the way Iyer was appointed CEO and the salary drawn by him. A few days after he was made CEO on January 6, 12 (out of the 15) EC members said the president exerted enormous pressure on them to appoint Iyer as the CEO.

Another point the EC members had raised was the “exorbitant” salary drawn by Iyer. The CEO is paid a total CTC of INR 3 crore per year, which roughly translates to INR 20 lakh per month and allowances.

The EC members passed an order removing Narang and Iyer and had signed a suspension order declaring the appointments “null and void.”

Usha termed the allegations as “shameful” and said the appointments and terminations do not fall under the EC’s purview.

In a strongly-worded letter to the EC members, Usha said the appointments were ratified at the EC meeting and termination letters do not hold any face value. She requested the members to work as a team. “The termination documents are an absolute nullity. The appointment of the executive assistant to the president is not within the jurisdiction of the Executive Council and thus the termination is non est and bad in law. I am satisfied with the work done by Captain Ajay Kumar Narang (Retd) and do not find any reason to terminate his services. It is disheartening to see that we are still not able to work as a team and each of your acts is an attempt to sideline me. I am left with no option but to remind you all that the day-to-day administrative functions including hiring and firing of staff is not the job of the Executive Council. As the EC, we should be using our powers and rights for much more important aspects of taking the IOA to heights,” she said in the letter.

The EC staff had pasted a notice in the IOA office restricting the entry of unauthorised persons in the premises - primarily directing at Iyer and Narang.

Usha took stern notice of the same and said: “It is directed to the IOA staff to remove any copies of the notice posted within the IOA Bhawan. Further, the IOA staff is instructed to follow guidance and directives from my office via my executive assistant. I yet again implore you to start working as a team for the betterment of the athletes and the Olympic Movement in India,” she wrote.

Both Iyer and Narang continue to discharge their official duties.