Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief P T Usha on Tuesday defended her decision to appoint an ad-hoc committee for boxing, saying the national federation failed to fulfil its “fundamental responsibilities” in the last one year and her action was necessary to “restore order and ensure proper governance”. Her statement came in response to IOA vice president Gagan Narang’s letter on February 28 in which the former Olympic bronze-winner accused her of issuing “arbitrary” orders and undermining athletes’ welfare.
Usha’s steadfast position is despite the Delhi High Court’s stay on the IOA’s order. The court issued notice, seeking IOA’s response to a petition filed by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
“…there is no truth in your (Narang) assertion that athletes are suffering due to this decision or any alleged arbitrary actions on my part. The decision to appoint an ad-hoc Committee was not arbitrary but a necessary step to restore order, ensure proper governance, and prioritize athlete development,” Usha said in her reply to Narang, who is also a member of the IOA’s Executive Council.
“The unfortunate reality is that BFI has failed in fulfilling its fundamental responsibilities, including conducting national championships in the last year.
“With the 2026 Asian Games fast approaching, there has been little to no effort to identify fresh talent, select promising boxers, and implement structured training programs to enhance India’s medal prospects.” Usha, who has been at loggerheads with the Executive Council members over several issues, accused them of showing “disproportionate preoccupation” with issues of “personal preferences” rather than the overall good of Indian sports.
Narang wrote to her seeking a withdrawal of her “arbitrary” act of forming an ad-hoc committee to run the affairs of BFI. He had said that “due to such arbitrary order, our athletes are suffering and we are getting a bad name domestically and internationally”.
On February 24, the IOA constituted a five-member ad-hoc committee to oversee the affairs of boxing in the country on the ground that the sport’s national federation failed to hold elections on time.
The BFI termed the IOA’s decision as “illegal” and filed a petition in the Delhi High Court to quash the order.
Narang also claimed that Usha’s decision to form the ad-hoc committee to run BFI was done “without consultation and/or approval of EC of IOA”.
He had urged Usha to recall the order and call an emergency meeting of EC to discuss various pressing matters.
Hitting back at Narang, the IOA president said she has made several attempts over the past year to convene Executive Council meetings to discuss key issues.
“Unfortunately, these efforts have been thwarted time and again by members — including yourself — who have consistently blocked meaningful discussions,” she alleged.
“I struggle to recall any instance where the EC has actively engaged in discussions about improving athlete performance or implementing measures to enhance India’s medal-winning potential.
“The persistent reluctance to address these critical matters raises serious concerns about the priorities of some within the IOA,” she said.
The IOA has been a divided house ever since Usha appointed Raghuram Iyer as the CEO in January 2024.
The majority of the EC members had opposed to his appointment on the ground that they have not been properly consulted and also his salary is too high for an organisation like the IOA. The EC members have refused to ratify Iyer’s appointment.
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