NEW DELHI: There was an element of surprise when the chairman and vice-chairman of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) athletes commission were elected here on Tuesday. It was widely expected that Gagan Narang and P V Sindhu would occupy the two top posts. Instead, Mary Kom was elected as the chairman and Achanta Sharath Kamal as the vice-chairman of the athletes commission in an interesting turn of events. Narang and Sindhu were sent to the IOA’s general assembly with voting rights as the athletes commission’s representatives.
A 10-member athletes commission was selected without any voting on Monday after the meeting witnessed a mass withdrawal of sportspersons. Apart from Mary, Sharath, Gagan and Sindhu, the other members elected to the athletes commission included Mirabai Chanu, Rani Rampal, Bhavani Devi, Bajrang Lal, OP Karhana and Shiva Keshavan. The remaining six members have now been looking to get themselves accommodated in one of the IOA’s commissions such as ethics and arbitration, among others. The athletes commission members can’t run for an office-bearer’s post during the upcoming IOA’s elections to elect the new executive body on December 10.
