IOA chief PT Usha slams EC members for not felicitating 2024 Olympic medallists

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha expressed her disappointment over "the extreme insensitivity shown" by members of the IOA Executive Committee (EC) in failing to organise a felicitation ceremony for the Indian athletes, who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

India bagged six medals at the Paris Olympics, one silver and five bronze. Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win a shooting medal at the Olympics. Moreover, she became the first Indian athlete in the post-Independence era to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Games.

"I take pride I was able to help Manu in this journey. It is a matter of pride for me we had medals from Neeraj Chopra, Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kushale and the men’s hockey team as well, but the EC does not want to celebrate their success, which makes me very sad,” the IOA chief wrote in a letter.

Usha claimed that despite her repeated efforts and proposals, there has been no initiative from the EC members to honour the Olympic medallists.

“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 organising a formal felicitation ceremony,” she wrote.

The legendary athlete also revealed that a proposal had been put forward to provide each Olympic-bound athlete with a preparatory grant of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for each coach before their departure for Paris while claiming that this grant was blocked by the Finance Committee and the IOA treasurer, Sahdev Yadav, who did not process the payments.

"I strongly believe that this grant would have given our athletes and their coaches the support they needed in the crucial period leading up to the Olympic Games. The refusal to disburse these funds reflects a lack of understanding of the needs of athletes and shows a complete disregard for their preparation and well-being,” the letter read.

The IOA chief further pointed out that this failure comes due to the EC’s non-cooperation, highlighting the fact that a felicitation ceremony was organised under the previous leadership when India won seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics, despite the challenging circumstances due to 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 to our nation, and they deserve to be acknowledged."

She also questioned the commitment of some EC members, some of whom are former athletes themselves, to the well-being of the current generation of 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 disheartening to see that others in positions of power, especially those who have also worn the national colours, are failing to uphold this duty," the letter read.

Usha said that the IOA had planned to give each individual medallist a cash award ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 3 crore, with the respective coaches receiving anything between Rs 15 to 25 lakh as part of the official felicitation.

"By not following through on these plans, the IOA is letting down the athletes who have made our country proud. I urge the Executive Committee to take immediate action and ensure that our athletes receive the honours and recognition they deserve."

"Our athletes are the heart and soul of Indian sport. And I will not rest until they are given the due respect, support, and acknowledgement they have earned," she concluded.