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Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha suffered a setback in the Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections after losing the polls in the women's category on Monday, while Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal and former athletes Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal and Dola Banerjee were elected.
The four were elected to the women's SOM positions, defeating Usha and another candidate, Anitha Paul Durai, in the contest for four positions. Anju Bobby George secured the highest number of valid votes with 53, followed by Rani Rampal with 50, Dola Banerjee with 45 and Saina Nehwal with 43. PT Usha received 40 votes, while Anitha Paul Durai secured six votes. A total of 80 votes were polled in the women's SOM category. The result marks a setback for Usha, who became the first woman to head the IOA when she was elected president in December 2022. Her defeat in the SOM elections comes ahead of the December 5 polls to elect the IOA Executive Council for the 2026-2030 term. The men's category had already seen four candidates elected unopposed after eight of the 12 contenders withdrew from the race. Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, have secured their places as male SOM representatives. The SOM representatives will become members of the IOA General Assembly and will be eligible to vote and contest in the December 5 Executive Council elections. One male and one female SOM representative will also secure places in the Executive Council, giving the elected members a direct role in the association's governing structure. The outcome of Monday's women's election adds a new dimension to the IOA leadership contest, with the focus now shifting to the December 5 polls that will determine the next leadership of the national Olympic body. (ANI)
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