Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha's second term bid took a significant blow on Monday after she failed to secure one of the four women's Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) positions. The election was held online, with Saina Nehwal, former long jumper Anju Bobby George, former archer Dola Banerjee, and former India women's hockey captain Rani Rampal elected from a field of six candidates. Usha and former basketball player Anitha Paul Durai missed out on the election. The SOM representatives become members of the IOA General Assembly, making them eligible to contest and vote in the December 5 elections for the new Executive Council. This route was previously used by Usha to secure her position as IOA president in December 2022. With her failure to enter the General Assembly through the SOM route, Usha's hopes of securing a second term are now uncertain, as she can contest only if nominated to the General Assembly by a National Sports Federation (NSF). The controversy surrounding the electoral process escalated with allegations of a WhatsApp campaign against Usha and claims of pressure and interference from different quarters. Usha lodged a formal complaint against Dola Banerjee over an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct regarding a promotional message circulated on social media platforms. The December 5 election will determine the IOA leadership for the next four-year term, with Olympic medallist Gagan Narang among the contenders in the presidential race.