IOA President PT Usha raises concerns over Draft National Sports Governance Bill

Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha has raised concerns about some provisions of the Draft National Sports Governance Bill, saying a regulatory authority proposed by it will undermine the autonomy of the IOA and national federations, putting the country at risk of an international suspension.

In a letter to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Usha also stated that the bill does not provide clarity on the role of State Olympic Associations (SOAs), thereby undermining the process of decentralising sports governance.

Her larger concern is, however, the autonomy of the IOA and the National Sports Federations (NSFs) if a Sports Regulatory Board of India, which would oversee their functioning, becomes operational as proposed by the bill.

"While this may strengthen governance and prevent administrative issues such as corruption or mismanagement, it raises concerns about the autonomy of sports bodies, particularly the IOA, NSFs, and SOAs," she said.

"Historically, the autonomy of these organisations has been a key principle in international sports governance, with the IOC particularly strict about the independence of national Olympic committees from government interference," she added.

Usha was present at a meeting conducted by Mandaviya with stakeholders of on Thursday.

The draft bill, which has been opened for public feedback till October 25, has found support from most of the long-serving administrators. The bill seeks to relax the cap on age and tenure of office-bearers.

The sprint legend claimed that the regulatory authority has been granted extensive powers to control the functioning of the IOA and NSFs.

The authority's brief would be to ensure compliance with good governance, and financial practices within NSFs and it would have the power to decide on the grant of recognition to these bodies.

"This may lead to a conflict between the government and international sports governance bodies, particularly the IOC, which has previously suspended many National Olympic committees for excessive governmental interference," she reasoned.

Recalling the international suspension that India endured after the 2012 London olympics due to government interference in the IOA's functioning, Usha said a similar sanction cannot be ruled out once again.

"It is crucial that the government balances regulatory oversight with the preservation of autonomy in line with international standards, especially to avoid potential conflicts with the IOC.

"Addressing these issues in the final version of the bill will certainly help ensure its successful implementation and international acceptance," she said.

Usha is currently locked in a bitter turf war with the Executive Council of the IOA which has been demanding the removal of CEO Raghuram Iyer, her preferred choice for the position.

The EC has threatened to bring a no confidence motion against her in an upcoming Special General Meeting on October 25.

Some of the EC members like vice president Gagan Narang and Kalyan Chaubey have backed the bill, which is expected to be tabled in the Parliament soon.