Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha on Monday said it is "deeply concerning" that the Executive Committee members failed to honour Olympic medallists and accused the Finance Committee of blocking funds intended to support Indian athletes' preparation for the Paris Games. (More Sports News)
India secured six medals, 🅺including two historic bronze by young shooter Manu Bhaker, but Usha said the "EC does not want to celebrate their success" and it makes her "very sad."
"These athletes have made the nation proud, and it is the responsibility of the IOA to celebrate their achievements with the respect they deserve. It is deeply concerning that, even after returning home in mid-August, the EC has failed to discuss or take any steps towards or🎶ganizing a formal felicitation ceremony," she said in a statement.
She revealed that a proposal for a preparatory grant of Rs 2 lakh for each Olympic-bound athlete and Rs 1 la𝓡kh for each coach had been blocked by the🦩 Finance Committee, notably by IOA Treasurer Sahdev Yadav.
"I strongly believe that this grant would have given our athletes and their coaches the suppor🧔t they needed in the crucial period leading up to the Olympic Games.
"The refusal to disbu♚rse these funds reflects a lack of understanding of the needs of athletes and shows a complete disregard for their preparation and well-being," she stated.
Highlighting the contrast with previous leadership, Usha pointed out that a successful felicita𓃲tion ceremony was organised for the seven medallists from the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, ev🐲en amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"If my predecessors could celebrate the achievements of our athletes during a global pandemic, what is stopping the current EC members from doing the same? These medallists have worked tirelessly to bring honour t♌o our nation, and they deserve to be acknowledged."
Usha questioned the commitment of some 💝EC members, particularly those who are former athletes.
"As someone who has represented India on the world stage, I understand the importance of recognising the hard work, sacrifices, and victories of our athletes. It is dishearteওning to see that others in positions of power, especially those who have also worn the national colours, are failing to uphold this duty."
The IOA had planned to award each individual medallist between ꦺRs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore, with coaches r💜eceiving Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh as part of the official felicitation.
"By not following through on these plans, the IOA is letting down t🃏he athletes who have made our country proud. I urge the Executive Committee to take immediate action and ensure that our athletes receiv🍰e the honours and recognition they deserve."
She reaffirmed her commitment to stand 𒊎by the athletes, saying: "Our athletes are the heart and soul of Indian sport. I will not rest until they are given the due respect, support, a🌳nd acknowledgment they have earned."
On Saturday, 12 members of the Executive Council had sent a letter to senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official Jerome Poivey, accusing Usha of running the organization in an "au❀tocratic" manner after she rejected their demand to remove Raghuram Iyer as IOA CEO during a contentious meeting.
Usha called the accusations "malicious and false," asserting that they aimed to underminꦡe her leadership and the efforts to improve Indian sports. On Sunday, she criticized the dissenting council members for prioritizing personal power and financial gain over the welfare of the sport.
In a press release, Usha on Sunday alleged that several of these E𝔍C members have questionable track records, including accusations of gender bias and instances of sexual harassment against them.21 y67i3mj v
