The appointment of Raghuram Iyer as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has ignited controversy, with 12 out of the 15 executive committee (EC) members raising objections over the transparency of the selection process. Despite IOA President PT Usha's announcement of Iyer's appointment on January 5, a majority of EC members have called for a hold on the decision until a thorough review by their panel.
In separate letters, EC members, including treasurer Sahdev Yadav and others, criticized the lack of transparency in the selection process. They expressed concerns over Usha proceeding with the appointment without the "ratification" by the IOA executive board. The EC members highlighted a delayed emergency meeting held on January 5, one month after the nomination committee proposed a candidate, without providing proper details on the CEO probable candidates.
ALSO READ: India strategizes for Olympic berth amidst challenging tournament
Another point of contention raised by EC members in a letter dated January 14 was the negotiation of Iyer's compensation – ₹20 lakh per month plus allowances, totaling around ₹3 crore per annum. They emphasized that this negotiation occurred "without any consultation with or decision by the EC."
The ongoing dispute over the CEO appointment has been a source of tension within IOA since the Usha-led panel took charge in December 2022. The delay in appointing a CEO, as mandated by the new IOA constitution, has resulted in reminders from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has also withheld IOA's allocated funds for a National Olympic Committee until the CEO's appointment is finalized.
ALSO READ: Dhruv Jurel's cricket ascent: From rejection to national recognition
Copyright © © 2022 Copyright. All Rights Reserved with Arth Parkash