P T Usha will contest for the post of President in IOA election

P T Usha.

The election to elect the Executive Council of IOA will be held on December 10

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: Former Indian star Athlete and member of Rajya Sabha P T Usha will contest for the post of President in the upcoming elections of Indian Olympic Association.

P T Usha, a multiple gold medallists in the Asian Games and fourth place finisher in the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final, has announced her decision through a tweet on Saturday.

‘With the warm support of my Fellow Athletes and National Federations I am humbled and honoured to accept and file for the Nomination of the President Of IOA!’ she tweeted.

Usha, a multiple gold medallists in the Asian Games and fourth place finisher in the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final.

The deadline to file nomination papers for the IOA elections ends on Sunday. IOA elections returning officer Umesh Sinha said in an official statement that there were no nominations filed on Friday and Saturday.

Usha, a top sprinter of her times, has also been elected as one of the eight Sports Persons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) by the Athletes Commission of the IOA.

The election to elect the Executive Council of IOA will be held on December 10.The nominations will be filed from November 25 to 27, while anyone  can withdraw his or her name from December 1 to 3.

The Returning Officer of the IOA election, Umesh Sinha, few days back released the names of 33 National Sports Federations and their 66 (one male and one female) valid members, eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOMs), one International Olympic Committee member and two Athletes’ Commission representatives. The number of persons who can vote will be 77 (39 female and 38 male) and they can file nominations for various posts in the Executive Council, including that of the president.