There is less than four months to go for the Paris Olympic Games, but the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officials keep on bickering.
The IOA’s internal feud took a twist on Friday when nine members of its executive council asked “unauthorised persons” not to enter its headquarters in New Delhi in a notice directed towards two recently-appointed officials.
The notice was posted at the IOA office premises after a meeting of the nine executive council members on Tuesday. IOA president PT Usha and most members of the executive council have been at loggerheads since the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as CEO on January 6. Iyer had earlier served as the CEO of IPL side 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,” the notice 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.
Just a few days after Iyer was made CEO, 12 out of 15 EC members alleged that Usha “exerted pressure” on them to pave the way for his appointment, a charge Usha described as “shameful”. In February, a majority of EC members claimed that they signed a suspension order declaring Iyer’s appointment as null and void.
