Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief PT Usha on Sunday asserted that she has full confidence in the newly-appointed CEO and there was no going back on the decision to hire him for the top post. Reports had suggested a majority of the IOA Executive Council (EC) members signing a suspension order declaring the appointment of Raghuram Iyer as CEO null and void. The IOA had appointed Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals’ former official Iyer as its Chief Executive Officer on January 6, a year after it was due and following repeated reminders from the International Olympic Committee.
However, within weeks of his appointment, several members of the IOA EC alleged that the legendary athlete had “exerted pressure” on them to pave the way for Iyer’s appointment as CEO, a charge that Usha termed “shameful”.
It has to be solved. When you do the wrong thing, then you have to be scared. When you are doing right and proper then why worry on it. I’ve already appointed the CEO in a very proper way and he is working there. Why not? We always wanted IOA to have a big one (a renowned person on the CEO’s post)…and (it can help) sports in a very big way.
Because the IOC needs good ones (officials) only, he is a very good CEO, and. About 12 out of 15 EC members had then said that Iyer’s recruitment wasn’t ratified by the apex body. On whether he would continue to perform his normal duties despite several EC members reportedly wanting his removal, she said, “100 per cent (he will continue).
Asked whether she seemed riddled with problems ever since she took charge as IOA president, Usha said, “Every time. Asked to comment on the latest development on the CEO episode, Usha, attending a function organised by the Delhi Sports Journalists Association (DSJA) and Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) here, said: “CEO is working. I’m thinking that way only,” said Usha after the function where she was honoured with a medallion, a citation and a memento by the sports journalists.
