The Indian Olympic Association has confirmed that thirty National Sports Federations will participate in its executive council elections scheduled for December 5. According to ThePrint, the IOA Electoral Officer, Sanjay K Srivastava, issued a notification on Monday listing the specific federations entitled to nominate two representatives each to the electoral college. This decision notably excludes the national governing bodies for boxing, table tennis, and golf, which are currently navigating internal administrative challenges or factional disputes.
ThePrint reported that the Table Tennis Federation of India is currently operated by an ad-hoc body, while the Indian Golf Union faces a split where one faction is recognized by the IOA and another by the sports ministry. Boxing’s national body is described as faction-ridden, leading to its temporary exclusion from the voting process. The 30 included federations span a wide range of disciplines, including football, tennis, kabaddi, archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, and wrestling, among others.
Under the IOA Constitution, federations whose sports are part of the Olympic, Asian, or Commonwealth Games programs are required to nominate two representatives to the General Assembly. ThePrint noted that each federation must submit one male and one female representative by 3 pm on November 12. These nominees must be citizens of India, under 70 years of age, and members of the respective federation entitled to vote. They must also demonstrate sound judgment and a belief in Olympic principles, while being free from disqualifications such as insolvency or doping bans.
The total electoral college for the December 5 polls will comprise 71 voters. In addition to the 60 representatives from the 30 federations, the voting body includes eight Sportspersons of Merit, two members from the Athletes Commission, and the Indian member of the International Olympic Committee. ThePrint stated that "All the members of the electoral college will have one vote each," ensuring equal weight for every participant in the selection of the new executive council.
The final list of the electoral college is set to be published on November 15, according to the notification. The IOA will subsequently issue a detailed schedule covering the polling, counting, and announcement of results. ThePrint added that "The final list of electoral college will be published on November 15," providing a clear timeline for the upcoming democratic process within the Indian sports administration.