IOA begins process for appointment of its CEO after flak from IOC

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is all set to begin its hunt for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after it was criticised by the International Olympic Council (IOC) for keeping the post vacant for close to a year, reported news agency PTI.

The IOA had its executive meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday (October 17), where they decided to advertise for the post. IOA joint-secretary and AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey is currently acting as the CEO, who will be an ex-officio member of the Executive Council without voting rights.

The decision came after IOC president Thomas Bach said on Monday that he hoped the IOA to appoint its CEO mandated under the constitution soon. Bach chaired the 141st session of the IOC in Mumbai from October 15-17 during which cricket and four other sports were included in the programme of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

As per the new Constitution drafted by a Supreme Court-constituted panel and approved by the IOC, the IOA was to appoint a CEO who would perform the functions of the erstwhile secretary general, within a month after taking charge of the new executive council led by PT Usha.

The new IOA council took charge on December 10, but till date, a CEO has not been appointed. Usha had said in March that the IOA had set a criteria for the appointment of CEO but only one applicant had been found worthy of the post.

She had said that she needed more applications and the IOA would advertise again for the post. One of the eligibility criteria for the post of CEO is that the candidate should be a management professional with experience of no less than 10 years as the CEO of a company/entity with an annual turnover of no less than Rs 25 crore.

Article 15.3 of the amended IOA constitution also says that the CEO shall be proposed by a nomination committee comprising the IOA president, chairman of the Athletes' Commission and one IOC member from India.

In March, while formally acknowledging the results of the IOA elections held on December 10 last year, the IOC had urged the Usha-led council to appoint the CEO.
In June, the IOC had again expressed concern over the IOA's delay in appointing the CEO.

On Monday, Bach said he had a discussion with Usha and she seemed determined to push for the reforms within the Indian body. Bach said more work can be done for the betterment of the IOA and the athletes once the appointment of the CEO is made.

With inputs from PTI