New Delhi [India], November 12 : Olympic gold medalist and legendary rifle shooter Abhinav Bindra made public his letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), in which he questioned the inconsistency between the IOA's constitution and the electoral rules governing the recently concluded Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections. He also pointed to a lack of response to his query from the governing body's leadership and called for stronger governance, fairness, and integrity in the country's sporting organisations and their processes. 
In recent SOM elections, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha suffered a setback after losing the polls in the women's category, while Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal and former athletes Anju Bobby George, Rani Rampal and Dola Banerjee were elected. The men's category had already seen four candidates elected unopposed after eight of the 12 contenders withdrew from the race. Olympic medallists Gagan Narang, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh, along with former table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, have secured their places as male SOM representatives.
Her defeat in the SOM elections comes ahead of the December 5 polls to elect the IOA Executive Council for the 2026-2030 term. The SOM representatives will become members of the IOA General Assembly and will be eligible to vote and contest in the December 5 Executive Council elections. One male and one female SOM representative will also secure places in the Executive Council, giving the elected members a direct role in the association's governing structure. 
 
Posting his letter on X, Abhinav wrote, "Unfortunately, my private correspondence with the Indian Olympic Association has found its way into the public domain. Given the references to it in recent media reports, I thought it appropriate to share my letter of 31 October 2026 in its entirety, so that its intent and context are clear. The letter was written before the elections, in a spirit of constructive engagement and with the larger interests of Indian sport at heart."
"I had raised a specific question concerning an apparent inconsistency between the IOA Constitution and the electoral rules. While I received an indication of which rules were being followed, the underlying constitutional question remained unanswered. To date, I have received no substantive clarification from either the Electoral Officer or the IOA leadership," he added. 
In his post, Bindra said that his intention was not to question "individuals or influence an electoral outcome" but to "encourage greater clarity, transparency and confidence in our institutions". 
"I have always believed that the strength of an institution lies not in the absence of questions, but in its willingness to address them. As India looks towards an increasingly ambitious future in world sport, the credibility of our institutions will be just as important as the achievements of our athletes," he added. 
Abhinav called for strong governance in sporting institutions, saying it is not "merely an administrative necessity; it is the foundation upon which lasting sporting progress is built." He also said that the credibility of sporting institutions does not rest merely on the decisions made, but on the fairness and integrity of processes followed to reach them. 
"Strong governance is not merely an administrative necessity; it is the foundation upon which lasting sporting progress is built. My sincere hope is that we move forward with a shared commitment to constitutional clarity, fairness and integrity in all our institutional and electoral processes. These principles must never depend on individuals or outcomes. Ultimately, the credibility of our sporting institutions rests not merely on the decisions they make, but on the fairness and integrity of the processes through which those decisions are reached. Indian sport deserves nothing less," he signed off. 
https://x.com/Abhinav_Bindra/status/2120715850013388879
In his letter to the IOA, he had written to President PT Usha and CEO Raghuram Iyer, "I wanted to share a thought with you in the spirit of goodwill and with the larger interests of the Olympic movement in India at heart."
"As you may be aware, I had written to the Electoral Officer seeking clarification on an apparent inconsistency between Article 3.7 of the IOA Constitution and the recently notified rules governing the election of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit. I had also followed up and, while I did receive a response indicating which rules were being followed, my specific question regarding the apparent inconsistency between those rules and the IOA Constitution remained unanswered. It was this clarification that I had genuinely hoped to receive," he said. 
Abhinav also said that while he had independently decided not to contest for any elections, with the Executive Council elections also coming on December 5, he still believes that the questions raised by him stay relevant irrespective of his participation in the electoral process. 
"I must admit to feeling a little disappointed that a genuine question concerning the interpretation of our own Constitution could not be addressed. There may well be a perfectly reasonable explanation for the apparent inconsistency, and I would have welcomed the opportunity to understand it," he said. 
The 2008 Olympic gold medalist at Beijing said he appreciates the complexities of the electoral process, especially when the "governance landscape of Indian sport is evolving". 
"However, I also believe that experiences such as these offer us an opportunity to reflect on how we can strengthen our institutional processes in the future," he added. 
The shooting legend said that going ahead, it is important that sporting institutions' constitutions, electoral rules and administrative procedures are clearly aligned and communicated so that they "leave as little room as possible for ambiguity". 
"Equally important is ensuring that there are responsive and transparent mechanisms through which legitimate questions can be addressed before they become sources of uncertainty or disagreement," he added.
Abhinav said that good governance is not simply "following procedures", but also creating confidence in them.
"It is about ensuring that athletes and members feel heard, that questions raised in good faith receive due consideration, and that the institution remains open to constructive engagement.  As custodians of the Olympic movement in India, I believe the IOA has both the responsibility and the opportunity to set an example in this regard. We rightly expect the highest standards of discipline, fairness and excellence from our athletes. Our institutions must continuously strive to reflect those very same values," he said. 
He also said that "small improvements in clarity, communication and institutional responsiveness can make a considerable difference to the trust and confidence people place in our systems."
"Ultimately, strong institutions are not defined by the absence of questions, but by the confidence and openness with which they address them," he added. 
Abhinav said that with the Executive Council elections coming in December, he hopes that the process proceeds "smoothly, transparently and in a spirit of fairness and mutual respect".
"This is an important moment for the IOA, and I hope it will be an opportunity not only to elect its representatives, but also to reinforce confidence in the institution and the values it stands for.  I wish every candidate participating in the elections the very best. It is encouraging to see individuals willing to step forward and contribute to Indian sport, and I hope that, whatever the outcome, everyone remains united by the larger purpose of serving our athletes and strengthening the Olympic movement," he said.
"My very best wishes also to both of you and to everyone involved in conducting the elections. I sincerely hope the coming weeks are productive and that we emerge from this process with an even stronger, more cohesive and more athlete-centred IOA," he signed off. 
The SOM representatives will become members of the IOA General Assembly and will be eligible to vote and contest in the December 5 Executive Council elections. One male and one female SOM representative will also secure places in the Executive Council, giving the elected members a direct role in the association's governing structure.