IOA's Executive Council Postpones Special General Meeting Amidst Growing Controversy

The revolting Executive Council (EC) members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) have decided to postpone the Special General Meeting (SGM) they had called on November 10 due to "unforeseen circumstances", just days after a separate notice of postponement of the event on the instructions of embattled president PT Usha. (More Sports News)

The SGM was originally scheduled for October 25 but two days prior to that, both Usha and the 12 revolting EC members had issued separate circulars to postpone the meeting.

IOA director George Mathew had informed the executive council and other stakeholders about the postponement following a directive from under-fire Usha.

Just a few hours later, joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey shot off an official communication to  the members of State Olympic Associations and athletes commission that the SGM has been postponed to November 10. He signed the circular as 'acting CEO'.

In his latest communication dated October 26, Chaubey informed the stakeholders that the SGM has been postponed again, this time indefinitely.

"... the IOA notice dated 9th October 2024 calling for the SGM on 25th October 2024 and the subsequent letter dated 23rd October 2024 postponing the meeting and indicating a new date are both hereby cancelled," Chaubey wrote.

"A new notice, along with the agenda for the rescheduled General Meeting will be issued in due course. The postponement has been necessitated by unforeseen circumstances, and we will ensure that the revised schedule is communicated at the earliest opportunity."

Usha has been at loggerheads with a majority of EC members after she announced the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as IOA CEO on January 5. 

The 12 EC members had refused to ratify Iyer's appointment as IOA CEO. They had maintained that Chaubey is still the "acting CEO" of the IOA, a role he was discharging before Usha's appointment of Iyer.

Usha, on the other hand, had even asked the IOA administrative staff not to take instructions from Chaubey as she had appointed Iyer as the CEO.

According to a former official, an SGM can be called only for a specific or special purpose and that could be the reason why Chaubey "cancelled" the earlier two notices.

Chaubey's earlier letter calling for the SGM had several agenda items, including a motion of 'no-confidence' against Usha.

While calling the SGM, to be held on October 25 and later postponed, Usha had mentioned that the main agenda would be to decide on whether Iyer's appointment as CEO was valid or the EC has the power to reject it.

She, however, had also mentioned several other agenda items.

"Many agenda items can be listed and discussed during the AGM but not in an SGM. So, maybe Chaubey may issue another notice in the coming days of an SGM with single point agenda which is about the appointment of Iyer by Usha as CEO," the former official said.

According to Article 8.1 of the IOA Constitution, a SGM may be summoned at any time by the President through the CEO and/or by decision of a simple majority of the Executive Council members, and/or shall be convened on a written requisition signed by presidents and secretaries of not less than 50 per cent member units entitled to vote, within one month from the date of receipt by the CEO of the said requisition.

A notice to hold an SGM shall be issued 15 clear days before the date of the actual meeting.