Abhinav Bindra raises questions over IOA's SOM election rules, seeks transparency

Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra on Thursday stressed the need for transparency and fairness in India's sports governance system, raising concerns over discrepancies between the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constitution and the rules followed during the recently concluded SOM elections.

Bindra voted in the elections held on Monday to choose eight Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) but did not contest. In a lengthy social media post, he underlined the importance of having fair and trustworthy sports bodies as India looks to make further progress in sports.

"I have always believed that the strength of an institution lies not in the absence of questions, but in its willingness to address them. Strong governance is not merely an administrative necessity; it is the foundation upon which lasting sporting progress is built," Bindra wrote in a post on X.

"My sincere hope is that we move forward with a shared commitment to constitutional clarity, fairness and integrity in all our institutional and electoral processes. These principles must never depend on individuals or outcomes.

“Ultimately, the credibility of our sporting institutions rests not merely on the decisions they make, but on the fairness and integrity of the processes through which those decisions are reached. Indian sport deserves nothing less.”

Bindra's post came days after he wrote to IOA president PT Usha on October 31, seeking clarification over what he believed was a difference between the IOA constitution and the new rules governing the election of SOMs. He attached that letter in his social media post.

Article 3.7 of the IOA constitution states that "eight SOMs shall be selected by the Athletes Commission and ratified by the General Assembly prior to the election of the IOA office bearers". The same procedure was followed during the 2022 elections.

However, this time the eight SOMs were elected by 80 former athletes on the electoral roll. Bindra was among those who voted in the online election, which was conducted under the supervision of IOA-appointed electoral officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava.

"Small improvements in clarity, communication and institutional responsiveness can make a considerable difference to the trust and confidence people place in our systems," Bindra wrote in his letter.

"Ultimately, strong institutions are not defined by the absence of questions, but by the confidence and openness with which they address them."

The 44-year-old expressed disappointment that his specific request for clarification had not been addressed, despite being informed that the rules being followed were in order.

Responding to Bindra's letter, IOA-appointed electoral officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava told PTI that his responsibility was limited to conducting the elections under the existing rules and that the concerns raised by the former shooter were beyond his jurisdiction.

"I had replied to his (Bindra's) query, saying that I have no role in that. My role or job is to conduct elections for which I was appointed by the IOA," he said.

"His concerns were beyond my jurisdiction. Whether there were inconsistencies or not (in the constitution and the rules), that is beyond me."