Legendary Indian athlete PT Usha is all set to become the next President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), after being the only candidate to apply for the post.
On November 26, the 58-year-old had taken to social media to inform that she has filed her nomination for the top post in next month's IOA elections.
The deadline to file nomination papers for the IOA elections was 27 November and the Returning Officer Umesh Sinha did not receive any more nominations for the top post. However, 24 candidates filed nominations for various other posts on Sunday.
Union Law Minister and former Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated the veteran sprinter on her appointment. "Congratulations to legendary Golden Girl, Smt. P T Usha on being elected as the President of Indian Olympic Association. I also congratulate all the sporting heroes of our country on becoming the office bearers of the prestigious IOA! A nation is proud of them!," he tweeted.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) also retweeted Rijiju's tweet.
One of the most decorated athletes in India, Usha won four gold medals and seven silver medals at the Asian Games.
She is among the eight sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs) picked by the newly-elected Athletes Commission to vote during the December 10 elections for the new executive committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The other seven SOMs are Yogeshwar Dutt (wrestling) M.M. Somaya (hockey), Rohit Rajpal (tennis), Akhil Kumar (boxing), Suma Shirur (shooting), Aparna Popat (badminton) and Dola Banerjee (archery).
On November 15, the Supreme Court said its orders in connection with the adoption of the constitution and polling for executive committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) should be scrupulously followed.
The bench said there is a broad consensus in terms of the note submitted by Justice Rao that the elections should be held on December 10.
(With inputs from IANS)
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