IOA tensions rise as treasurer Sahdev Yadav threatens PT Usha with legal action

Indian Olympic Association IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav on Tuesday threatened legal action against the bodys president PT Usha for defaming his image after she issued a show cause notice to him on the basis of a complaint challenging his eligibility to hold the postOn September 10 Usha sought explanation from Yadav who is also currently the president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation IWLF following an anonymous complaint alleging that he and some other IOA officials are continuing in office in violation of the age and tenure guidelines set by the National Sports CodeUnder the Sports Code it is mandatory for an official to step aside after 12 consecutive years in office Yadav has also been a former secretary of the Indian Weightlifting Federation and has been on its board for 15 yearsIt is very unfortunate that you have given value to such baseless and politically motivated letter fully knowing that election of executive council of IOA were held under the supervision of Honble Supreme Court of India in 2022 Yadav said in a stronglyworded reply to Usha in a letter dated September 23 I request you to withdraw your notice sent to many office bearers and EC members including me failing which I shall be construed constrained to take all legal recourse for defaming my individual image in public at large though social media and also before the sports ministry and the IOCUshas letter to Yadav was also marked to the sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and to the International Olympic CommitteeAlso ReadVidit Gujrathi hails Olympiad 2024 win Golden era for Indian chessYadav claimed that Ushas letter to him was leaked to the media and public before reaching him He said in the letter that the image of the IOA as well as my individual social image have been defamed in the eyes of the people of this country the government and the IOCThe latest development added fuel to the ongoing factional feud within the IOAUsha has been at loggerheads with the bodys Executive Council members from earlier this year stating that they were trying to sideline her by their acts of defiance including issuing termination letters to an official appointed by herThis was after a majority of EC members had claimed that they had signed a suspension order declaring Raghuram Iyers appointment as IOA CEO in January as null and voidInterestingly an amount of Rs 175 crore released to the IWLF by the Suresh Kalmadiled Organising Committee of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games on the instructions of the sports ministry in order the pay the doping fine to the international body International Weightlifting Federation has now added spice to the controversyIn her September 10 letter Usha had also sought explanation from Yadav on the allegations of filing and furnishing false information in the IOA misappropriation and writing off public money belonging to the IOA for the benefit of the IWLFYadav who was IWLF Secretary General at that time termed the allegations as completely false and frivolous you have chosen to indulge in mudslinging and character assassination your notice dated 10092024 and its defamatory contents were widely circulated in the media even before I received the copy of the same he wrote you are requested to withdraw the notice and the reckless allegations I reserve the right to initiate legal action both criminal and civil for the mental harassment caused and on account of the baseless accusations directed towards meIn 2010 just days before the Delhi CWG the Sports Ministry had directed the Organising Committee to immediately release Rs 175 crore interestfree loan to the IWLF so that it can pay the doping fine of USD 375000 to International Weightlifting Federation IWF before the August 31 deadlineThe ministry had said that the Rs 175 crore amount was to be paid against the approved budget of Rs 25 crore for development of sports under the Joint Marketing Agreement as provided under clause 261 of the Host City Contract of Commonwealth GamesThe IWLF was under pressure to pay the doping fine of USD 375000 and an additional USD 31000 for individual fines and B sample testing charges failing which the Indian weightlifters would have been barred from taking part in the Commonwealth Games and Asian GamesIn his reply letter to Usha Yadav claimed that the loan was waived off by the IOA after the completion of the 2010 CWG and there was no point to resurrect the issue nowThe said amount was subject to deliberation at the 5th EC meeting dated 01112021 in which the waiver of the amount was unanimously approved No subsequent AGMs including two presided by you have taken a contrary decision in this regard till dateThere is no outstanding issue related to the amount in question You are now trying to disown the proceedings of the AGMs that have been presided by youThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever