IOA name PT Usha, Gopichand in new advisory panel

Abhay Chautala, newly-elected president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), yesterday appointed an athletes commission to plan ways to get the International Olympic Commission (IOC) suspension lifted at the earliest.

The general body also discussed the IOC's statement that the elections were null and void.u00a0IOA also formed a three member advisory panel comprising PT Usha, Pullela Gopichand and Dilip Tirkey. The committee will guide the office bearers on the problems faced by athletes.

The nine-member athletes commission, headed by Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, will oversee the needs of the players. The other members of the commission are Wilson Cherian (swimming), K Malleswari (weightlifting), Manjit Dua (table tennis), Jatinder Singh (boxing), Aparna Popat (badminton), Anuj Kumar (wrestling). The All India Tennis Association (AITA) and Archery Association of India (AAI) will nominate a member each.u00a0

PT Usha and Pullela Gopichand