P. T. Usha fails to secure Sportsperson of Merit spot as Saina Nehwal and three others elected at IOA poll
Indian Olympic Association president P. T. Usha failed to win one of the four women’s Sportspersons of Merit (SOM) seats at the IOA SOM election on Monday, November 9, 2026, while former shuttler Saina Nehwal, long jumper Anju Bobby George, archer Dola Banerjee and ex-women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal were elected. The contest for the four women’s places was held amid controversy.
The SOM electoral roll comprises 80 members — 40 men and 40 women — who elect four female SOMs from a field of six candidates. On Saturday, November 7, 2026, four male SOMs were chosen unopposed after eight other male candidates withdrew their nominations; those elected unopposed were Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Vijender Singh and Yogeshwar Dutt, and former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta. The outcome of the women’s poll completed the slate of eight SOMs who will form part of the IOA electoral body.
The four women elected as SOM are Saina Nehwal, Anju Bobby George, Dola Banerjee and Rani Rampal; P. T. Usha, who serves as IOA president, did not obtain a place among them. The result means Usha will not join the eight-person SOM group through this vote.
The SOM election drew formal complaints. Usha lodged a grievance with Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivasatava alleging that a WhatsApp message circulated through an account bearing Dola Banerjee’s name solicited votes in breach of the Model Code of Conduct; the message sought support for the ‘New Bharat Panel’ and listed four named candidates together with their ballot serial numbers and roll numbers. Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sathish Sivalingam also wrote to Srivasatava alleging “an organised effort is underway to influence members of the Electoral Roll in favour of a contesting candidate who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association”. He added “... and that the resources of the IOA are being used for this purpose,” in his communication.
Under the IOA Constitution, any candidate for the presidency must be either an SOM or a member of the General Assembly. The eight elected SOMs will become members of the IOA General Assembly and will therefore be eligible to vote in, and stand for, the Executive Council elections scheduled for December 5.
P. T. Usha retains the option of contesting the December 5 Executive Council polls only if a National Sports Federation nominates her to the General Assembly, a route the article describes as unlikely, and she is not expected to be one of the two representatives from the Athletics Federation of India. The newly elected SOMs will join the General Assembly and participate in the process that will determine the IOA’s Executive Council on December 5.