Indian Olympic Association Appoints Raghuram Iyer as its CEO

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday appointed Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals’ former official Raghuram Iyer as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), a year after it was due and following repeated reminders from the IOC.

The IOA said Iyer was appointed as its CEO after a “meticulous selection process conducted by the nomination committee”.

“After careful consideration and thorough interviews with the shortlisted candidates, the nomination committee unanimously selected Mr Raghuram Iyer for the role of CEO,” the IOA said in a statement.

“His wealth of experience and proven track record in sports management and administration makes him an ideal candidate to lead the IOA in its mission to promote and develop Olympic sports in India,” it said.

The CEO will be an ex-officio member of the Executive Council without voting rights. He is not an elected member but a salaried official.

Iyer had earlier served as CEO of IPL sides Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants.

As per the new Constitution drafted by a Supreme Court-constituted panel and approved by the IOC, the IOA was to appoint a CEO who would perform the functions of the erstwhile secretary general, within a month after taking charge of the new executive council led by PT Usha on December 10, 2022.

The IOA had received flak from the International Olympic Council (IOC) for not filling up the crucial post for nearly one year.

IOA joint secretary and All India Football Federation (AIFF) president Kalyan Chaubey had been discharging the functions of the CEO.

“We believe that Mr Raghuram Iyer brings a unique combination of leadership, strategic vision and a deep understanding of the sports landscape.

His appointment is a significant step towards the continued growth and success of Indian sports on the global stage,” Usha said in the statement.

Usha had said in March last year that the IOA had set a criteria for the appointment of CEO but only one applicant had been found worthy of the post. The IOA then called for applications through a re-advertisement.

One of the eligibility criteria for the post of CEO is that the candidate should be a “management professional with an experience of no less than 10 years as the CEO of a company/entity with an annual turnover of no less than Rs 25 crore.”

Article 15.3 of the amended IOA constitution also says that “the CEO shall be proposed by a nomination committee comprising the IOA president, chairman of the Athletes’ Commission and one IOC member from India”.

In March last year, while formally acknowledging the results of the IOA elections held on December 10, 2022, the IOC had urged the Usha-led council to appoint the CEO.

Three months later, the IOC had again expressed concern over the IOA’s delay in appointing the CEO.

In October last year, Bach had a discussion with Usha on the matter during the IOC Session in Mumbai.