New Delhi, 24 Sept

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) treasurer Sahdev Yadav on Tuesday threatened legal action against the body's 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 post.

On 10 September, 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 Code.

Under 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 years.

"It 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 Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in 2022," Yadav said in a strongly-worded 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 IOC."

Usha's letter to Yadav was also marked to the sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and to the International Olympic Committee. Yadav claimed that Usha's 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 IOC".

The latest development added fuel to the ongoing factional feud within the IOA. Usha has been at loggerheads with the body's 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 her.

This was after a majority of EC members had claimed that they had signed a suspension order declaring Raghuram Iyer's appointment as IOA CEO in January as null and void.

Doping fine amount before 2010 CWG in centre of controversy

Interestingly, an amount of Rs 1.75 crore released to the IWLF by the Suresh Kalmadi-led 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 controversy.

In her 10 September 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 IWLF".

Yadav, 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 10.09.2024, 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 me."

In 2010, just days before the Delhi CWG, the Sports Ministry had directed the Organising Committee to immediately release Rs 1.75 crore interest-free loan to the IWLF so that it can pay the doping fine of USD 3,75,000 to International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) before the 31 August deadline.

The ministry had said that the Rs 1.75 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 Games.

The IWLF was under pressure to pay the doping fine of USD 3,75,000 and an additional USD 31,000 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 Games.

In 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 now. "The said amount was subject to deliberation at the 5th EC meeting dated 01.11.2021 (in which) the waiver of the amount was unanimously approved. No subsequent AGM's, including two presided by you, have taken a contrary decision in this regard till date. There 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 you."