NEW DELHI: The Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM) elections have been reduced to a contest in the female category after eight of the 12 male candidates withdrew from the fray, leaving the four remaining nominees unopposed.According to the final list of contesting candidates issued by the Electoral Officer (RO) Sanjay K Srivastava on Saturday, Gagan Narang, Kamlesh Mehta, Yogeshwar Dutt and Vijender Singh will be elected unopposed to the four male positions. With the number of candidates matching the number of available seats, the November 9 election in the male category will serve no purpose.The female category, however, will see a contest, with six candidates vying for four positions. The final list comprises Dola Banerjee, current IOA president PT Usha, Rani Rampal, Saina Nehwal, Anitha Paul Durai and Anju Bobby George.Of the 12 male candidates who were declared validly nominated on Thursday, the eight male withdrawals include shooter Ronjan Sodhi, table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal and former IOA president Adille Sumariwalla.The other male candidates who withdrew were Mansher Singh, Surinder Singh Shokar, Moraad Ali Khan, Sathish Kumar Sivalingam and B Sai Praneeth.In the female category, five of the 11 validly nominated candidates withdrew, leaving six in contention for four positions. Ashwini Nachappa, Chekrovolu Swuro, Neelam Setti Laxmi, Ragina Kiro and Trupti Murgunde were among those who withdrew.The election for the four female SOM positions will be held on November 9. The declaration of results is also scheduled for the same day.
