Dead prez's name on Rs 1.96 cr invoice! Odisha Gymnastics Association faces ‘ghost president’ charge

NEW DELHI: The Odisha Gymnastics Association (OGA) has landed in controversy after allegedly using the name of its former president, Samir Dey, on official documents and invoices even though he died in November 2024. The issue came to light after a complaint was filed with Odisha’s Sports & Youth Services Department questioning how the association managed to receive nearly Rs 98 lakh from the government while still operating under a “dead president”.The controversy is linked to the 2026 National Gymnastics Championships held at Kalinga Stadium from April 25 to May 3. An invoice worth more than Rs 1.96 crore reportedly carried Dey’s name as president and was signed by OGA general secretary Ashok Sahoo on April 23, 2026."It is quite intriguing to note that the Association is running with a president who has passed one and half years ago," complainant Balunkeswar Sahoo wrote in his letter.Responding to the allegations, Ashok Sahoo said the association was still using old letterheads after leadership changes."Dhiren Panda is currently functioning as the in-charge of the association. We have not printed fresh letterheads yet," OGA general secretary Sahoo told news agency PTI.The complaint also questioned why multiple agencies funded the same tournament. Documents show the Sports Authority of India sanctioned Rs 50 lakh to the Gymnastics Federation of India for the event, while the Odisha government separately approved Rs 1.96 crore, with Rs 98 lakh already released.The issue has also revived older concerns about OGA’s functioning. Earlier communications from the sports department reportedly noted that the association had not conducted elections for nearly 20 years. The complainant has now demanded an independent inquiry into OGA’s finances, transparency and compliance with sports regulations."Public funds are meant for genuine development of sports and athletes and therefore must be utilised only through transparent, accountable and duly verified bodies," the complaint stated.