Former Indian sprinter Ashwini Nachappa has alleged that she withdrew from contesting the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs) elections under external pressure, raising serious questions about transparency and fairness in Indian sports governance.

The 59-year-old claimed that the candidates who withdrew from the elections were not acting voluntarily. However, she did not disclose who exerted the pressure or explain the circumstances surrounding her withdrawal.

Nachappa was among the original 11 candidates contesting for four female SOM positions. Five candidates, including her, withdrew on November 7, leaving six in the race for the elections held virtually on Monday.

Expressing disappointment over the developments, Nachappa said she had hoped to contribute to Indian sports administration but decided against continuing when she felt the process lacked fairness. She also criticised the apparent disregard for the ethics and values associated with Olympic sport, adding that the situation reflected poorly on Indian sports governance.

The elections saw legendary long jumper Anju Bobby George, former hockey captain Rani Rampal, former archer Dola Banerjee and badminton star Saina Nehwal elected as the four female SOMs. Incumbent IOA president PT Usha finished fifth and failed to secure a position. Meanwhile, all four male candidates were elected unopposed after eight others withdrew.

The elections have also been surrounded by controversy, with Usha filing a complaint alleging that Banerjee violated the Model Code of Conduct by circulating a WhatsApp message seeking votes for the 'New Bharat Panel'. Weightlifter Sathish Sivalingam also raised concerns about alleged attempts to influence voters and the possible misuse of IOA resources.

Nachappa, who represented India at two Asian Games and won multiple Asian Championship medals, said she would now focus on running her educational institution in Karnataka, which has around 900 students. She expressed regret that efforts to bring positive changes to Indian sports administration had not progressed as she had hoped.

With inputs from PTI

Story first published: Thursday, November 12, 2026, 10:10 [IST]

Other articles published on Nov 12, 2026