Vijender Singh, Gagan Narang among 4 athletes elected unopposed as IOA SOMs
Olympic medallists Vijender Singh, Gagan Narang and Yogeshwar Dutt will have a fresh role to play in Indian sports administration after being elected unopposed as Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Saturday. The trio will be joined by former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, with all four securing their positions without a contest.
The development comes ahead of the IOA elections scheduled for December 5, which will determine the composition of its next Executive Council. Eight former athletes withdrew their nominations from the male category, leaving exactly four candidates for the four available SOM positions.
Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava confirmed that there would be no need to conduct the scheduled election for the male candidates on Monday after the withdrawal deadline expired at 2 pm on Saturday.
The unopposed election gives the four former athletes an important position in the IOA's decision-making structure. As SOMs, they will become members of the IOA General Assembly and will be eligible to vote and contest for positions in the December 5 elections.
Yogeshwar Dutt is no stranger to the IOA's administrative structure. He was part of the outgoing Executive Council after being selected as a Sportsperson of Merit ahead of the 2022 elections. Former archer Dola Banerjee also held a similar position in the previous council.PT USHA, SAINA FACE CONTEST FOR WOMEN’S SEATS
While the male candidates have secured their positions without a vote, the women's category is set for a contest on Monday. Six former athletes remain in the running for four SOM positions after five candidates withdrew their nominations.
The list includes incumbent IOA president PT Usha, Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal, World Athletics Championships bronze medallist Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola Banerjee, former India women's hockey captain Rani Rampal and ex-basketball player Anitha Paul Durai. The election will be conducted virtually.
Usha's candidature assumes particular significance given her position as the current IOA chief. She was elected president in 2022 after first becoming a Sportsperson of Merit. The upcoming vote could once again prove important in shaping the leadership battle within the organisation.
The SOM elections have attracted attention because the eight successful candidates will not only become members of the General Assembly but will also have the opportunity to contest the December 5 Executive Council elections. One male and one female SOM will also become members of the Executive Council.
There has also been controversy surrounding the withdrawal of nominations. Former National Convener of Clean Sports India BVP Rao alleged that some former athletes withdrew their candidature following pressure from the Sports Ministry.
"These ex-champions withdrew their nominations just because of one phone call from the Ministry of Sports," Rao claimed, adding that the remaining women candidates had stood their ground.
However, a Sports Ministry source rejected the allegations, maintaining that the ministry had no role in the independently conducted IOA elections and had never interfered in the process.
Among the prominent male athletes who withdrew were table tennis legend Achanta Sharath Kamal, World Athletics Vice President Adille Sumariwalla, former shuttler B Sai Praneeth and shooters Ronjan Sodhi, Mansher Singh and Moraad Ali Khan.- Ends
