PT Usha's IOA presidency bid in doubt after electoral college setback
Synopsis
PT Usha — who missed an Olympic medal by 0.01 seconds in 1984 — has now missed the IOA electoral college cut by just three votes, putting her presidential re-election in serious doubt. With Anju Bobby George topping the same poll, Kerala could still hold the IOA's top post — just not necessarily through Usha.
Key Takeaways
PT Usha finished 5th in the IOA women's SOM electoral college vote with 40 votes , missing the qualifying top-4 by 3 votes .
Anju Bobby George topped the poll with 53 votes , and is now eligible for the December 5 IOA presidential election.
Rani Rampal (50 votes), Dola Banerjee (45), and Saina Nehwal (43) also qualified ahead of Usha.
Usha can still enter the electoral college via a nomination from one of the National Sports Federations , which are yet to name representatives.
Usha, 62 , became the first woman to head the IOA when elected in 2022 .
The IOA presidential election is scheduled for 5 December 2026 .
Indian athletics icon PT Usha faces a fresh challenge to her leadership ambitions after finishing outside the qualifying positions in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) electoral college vote — 42 years after she missed an Olympic medal by the slimmest of margins. The 62-year-old incumbent IOA president secured just 40 votes in Monday's election to the women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) category, falling short of the four qualifying spots.
How the Electoral College Vote Unfolded
Anju Bobby George, the former long jump world championship medallist from Changanassery in Kottayam district, topped the women's SOM poll with 53 votes out of 80 cast. Former hockey captain Rani Rampal finished second with 50 votes, followed by archer Dola Banerjee with 45 and badminton star Saina Nehwal with 43. Usha, with 40 votes, finished fifth — one place and three votes outside the cut.
PT Usha's Path Back Into the Race
Usha's failure to qualify through the SOM category has significantly complicated her bid for a second term as IOA president. However, she retains a route back into the electoral process: she can still enter the electoral college through a nomination by one of the National Sports Federations, which are yet to name their representatives. Whether that avenue opens up will be pivotal ahead of the December 5 IOA elections.
Anju Bobby George Now Eligible to Contest
Anju's first-place finish in the SOM category makes her eligible to contest the December 5 IOA elections. A 2003 World Athletics Championships bronze medallist in the long jump — the only Indian woman to have won a medal at a World Athletics Championship — Anju is also an experienced sports administrator, having served as senior vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India. Her entry into the electoral college has opened up an intriguing possibility: that Kerala could retain influence at the top of India's Olympic administration regardless of Usha's fate.
Two Generations of Kerala Athletics, One Defining Stage
The two athletes represent different eras of Kerala's storied athletics tradition. Usha, from Payyoli in Kozhikode district, became the first woman to head the IOA when she was elected in 2022, ending decades of male dominance of the post. Anju, from Changanassery in Kottayam district, made history 21 years ago with her landmark bronze in Paris. This comes amid broader scrutiny of IOA governance, with the association having faced international oversight concerns from the International Olympic Committee in recent years.
What Happens Next
The National Sports Federations are yet to name their electoral college representatives, leaving the composition of the voter pool — and Usha's eligibility — still unsettled. The IOA presidential election is scheduled for December 5, 2026. Whether Usha secures a nomination route back or Anju emerges as a credible presidential contender, Kerala's footprint in India's Olympic leadership structure remains firmly in focus.
Point of View
A world-championship medallist with federation experience, topped the same poll suggests the electorate has clear preferences. The nomination route via National Sports Federations is real but uncertain, and relying on it places Usha in a reactive position rather than a mandate-backed one. More broadly, the IOA's governance structure — where a legendary Olympian can be squeezed out of her own re-election process by procedural bottlenecks — deserves as much scrutiny as the personalities involved.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is PT Usha's IOA presidential re-election in doubt?
PT Usha finished fifth in the IOA's women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit electoral college vote with 40 votes, one place outside the four qualifying spots. Because she did not qualify through this category, she cannot automatically contest the December 5 IOA presidential election unless a National Sports Federation nominates her to the electoral college.
Who topped the IOA women's SOM electoral college vote?
Anju Bobby George topped the poll with 53 votes out of 80 cast, making her eligible to contest the IOA presidential election on December 5. She was followed by Rani Rampal (50 votes), Dola Banerjee (45), and Saina Nehwal (43).
Can PT Usha still contest the IOA presidential election?
Yes, potentially. Usha can still enter the electoral college through a nomination by one of the National Sports Federations, which have not yet named their representatives. If she secures such a nomination, she remains eligible to contest the December 5 election.
Who is Anju Bobby George and why does her entry matter?
Anju Bobby George is a former Indian long jumper who won bronze at the 2003 World Athletics Championships in Paris — the only Indian woman to medal at a World Athletics Championship. She has also served as senior vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India. Her place in the electoral college means Kerala could retain a stake in IOA leadership even if Usha does not make it back into the race.
When is the IOA presidential election scheduled?
The IOA presidential election is scheduled for December 5, 2026. The final composition of the electoral college will be determined once National Sports Federations name their representatives.
