Mary Kom and Sharath Kamal named as the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of Athletes Commission

Mary Kom, the six-time world women’s boxing champion and Olympic bronze medalist, was chosen the Chairperson of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) Athletes Commission on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. While table tennis star and Commonwealth Games 2022 champion Sharath Kamal was appointed the vice chairperson. The ace Indian paddler will also be receiving the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this month. Both individuals received their certificates from Umesh Sinha, the returning officer for the IOA election on December 10, 2022.

According to a news release from the IOA, Returning Officer (RO) Umesh Sinha announced the name of the commission’s ten members in New Delhi on Monday. Eminent athletes like Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, shooter Gagan Narang, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Bajrang Lal, Mirabai Chanu, Rani Rampal, Shiva Keshavan, Bhavani Devi, and Om Prakash Karhana were included in the Athletes’ Commission on the list that was submitted.

PV Sindhu and Gagan Narang were nominated by the athletes commission to serve on the IOA Executive Council’s electoral college. The Athletes Commission’s first task would be to select eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM), who would be eligible to vote at the IOA General Assembly. The SOM application process ended on Tuesday at 4 p.m. On the basis of eligibility requirements and other factors, the Athletes Commission would examine each application and select the top eight. The athlete must have won a medal at the Olympics, Asian Games, or Commonwealth Games, as well as meet other requirements, including having retired from their sport.

The eight SOMs, the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Athletes Commission, will be part of the IOA electoral college for the December 10 election. According to the IOA’s amended constitution, the Executive Council will consist of a president, a senior vice president, two vice presidents, a treasurer, two joint secretaries, six members, including one male and one female sportsperson of outstanding merit, and two additional athletes commission representatives. The IOC member Nita Ambani will have voting rights as an ex-officio member of the Executive Council.