India's Olympic movement moves into a fresh electoral phase with Asian Games gold medallist trap shooter Neeru Dhanda, badminton star P V Sindhu, Olympic weightlifting medallist Mirabai Chanu and men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh among the athletes named to the electoral college that will decide the composition of the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) Athletes Commission. The vote is scheduled for November 3, a key step ahead of the IOA's broader executive council elections in December.
A 34-Member College, but Notable Absences
IOA-appointed electoral officer Sanjay K Srivastava released the list of 34 electoral college members on Friday, drawn two apiece from 17 national sports federations (NSFs). The process, however, exposed gaps in Indian sports governance: the All India Football Federation, All India Tennis Association, Boxing Federation of India and Table Tennis Federation of India have no representatives in the college. The reason is structural rather than political - under Article 10.3 of the IOA's Athletes Commission Rules, only NSFs with a duly constituted Athletes Commission can nominate representatives. The AIFF does not currently have an elected Athletes Commission, while the BFI remains unrecognised by both the IOA and the sports ministry, leaving boxing and football's Olympic athlete voice unheard in this cycle.
Familiar Faces, Some Surprising Exits
Sindhu and Mirabai Chanu, both members of the outgoing Athletes Commission, return to the electoral fray, nominated by the Badminton Association of India and the Indian Weightlifting Federation respectively. Dhanda joins shooter Swapnil Kushare in representing the National Rifle Association, while wrestling's electoral slot goes to Olympic medallist Aman Sehrawat. Hockey India has nominated Harmanpreet Singh alongside women's team captain Salima Tete, giving the sport strong representation at a time when Indian hockey is riding a wave of renewed competitiveness on the international stage. Fencer Bhavani Devi, badminton's K Srikanth, and athletics duo Sudha Singh and Tajinderpal Singh Toor also feature among the nominees.
Perhaps the most striking development is the absence of outgoing Athletes Commission chairperson Mary Kom and vice-chairperson Achanta Sharath Kamal from this year's electoral college. Both decorated former athletes - Mary Kom a six-time world boxing champion and Olympic medallist, Sharath Kamal a table tennis legend - will not be part of the athletes' body for the 2026-2030 term, marking a generational shift in the IOA's athlete leadership structure.
What Happens Next
From the pool of 34 electors, 10 members - five men and five women - will be elected to the Athletes Commission for the 2026-2030 term. Anyone seeking to contest must file nomination papers by 5pm on October 21. Eligibility rules are strict: candidates must be Indian citizens, at least 18 years old, and have a clean record under the World Anti-Doping Code, the National Anti-Doping Act 2022, and the IOA's own constitution and bye-laws.
- Six of the ten elected members (three men, three women) must have competed in at least one of the last three Olympic Games.
- The remaining four (two men, two women) must have won a medal at the last three editions of the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships/Cup, or National Games.
- Trap shooter Rajeshwari Kumari, elected to the Olympic Council of Asia's Athletes' Commission at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, joins as an ex-officio member with voting rights.
- Two Athletes Commission members - one male, one female - will also sit on the IOA Executive Council.
The Commission will subsequently select eight Sportspersons of Merit, four men and four women, who join the IOA's General House ahead of the Executive Council elections set for December 5 - a process that will shape Indian Olympic sport's governance for the next four years.
