NEW DELHI: The internal conflict within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has escalated further, with nine members of its executive council issuing a notice prohibiting "unauthorized persons" from entering its headquarters. This directive is specifically aimed at two recently appointed officials.
The notice was prominently displayed at the IOA office premises subsequent to a meeting held by nine executive council members on Tuesday.
Tensions between IOA president PT Usha and a majority of the executive council have intensified following the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as CEO on January 6. Notably, Iyer previously held the position of CEO at the Indian Premier League franchise, Rajasthan Royals.
"This notice is issued to inform that unauthorised persons are not allowed to enter into the building/offices of the IOA," the notice signed by nine members of the executive council read.
"It has come to the notice of the council members that non approved/terminated staff is entering and occupying the offices which is illegal and amounts to trespassing," it said.
The notice was signed by senior vice president Ajay Patel, vice presidents Rajlakshmi Singh Deo and Gagan Narang, treasurer Sahdev Yadav and members Dola Banerjee, Harpal Singh, Yogeshwar Dutt, Amitabh Sharma and Bhupinder Singh Bajwa.
It is learnt that Usha is currently not in town though she has been apprised of the development.
Just days after Iyer assumed the position of CEO, twelve out of fifteen Executive Council (EC) members alleged that Usha "exerted pressure" on them to facilitate his appointment. Usha, a revered athlete, vehemently denied these accusations, labeling them as "shameful."
In February, a majority of EC members claimed to have signed a suspension order, declaring Iyer's appointment null and void. They also purportedly revoked the appointment of Ajay Narang as executive assistant to the IOA president. Despite this, Iyer and Narang continued to fulfill their duties, as appointed by Usha, who reiterated her confidence in their capabilities and stood firm on her decision to bring them on board.
Usha asserted that she had not received any formal communication from EC members regarding the reported suspension of the CEO. The controversy surrounding Iyer's salary, which amounts to Rs 20 lakh per month plus allowances (totaling a CTC of approximately Rs 3 crore per annum), emerged as a focal point in the feud between Usha and the majority of EC members. The latter accused the IOA president of unilaterally deciding on the CEO's compensation.
In response to these allegations, Usha clarified that the CEO's appointment underwent extensive discussion during the EC meeting in January, with the majority of attending members "ratifying" the decision. She noted that many EC members recommended renegotiating the CEO's remuneration due to funding constraints within the IOA, resulting in a reduction of over 30 percent from the initially agreed-upon pay.
Furthermore, Usha cautioned EC members about the potential intervention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), warning that their defiance could lead to IOC's suspension of India.
(With PTI inputs)
