IOC rejects IOA’s clause, India’s Olympic ban to continue

New Delhi  : India will continue to remain out of the Olympic fold as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected the request of the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to allow charge-sheeted officials to continue in and run for office.

The IOC executive board met Wednesday in Buenos Aires and decided that the ban on IOA will continue if the apex body for sports in India doesn’t change its constitution to keep out charge-sheeted individuals.

“The Excutive Board heard a report that the IOA’s General Assembly had approved most of the amendments to the IOA’s constitution requested by the IOC, but one specific clause had not been adopted. This clause, which deals specifically with the eligibility of members, is key to the good governance of the NOC and needs to be fully accepted before the suspended IOA can proceed with the elections. An official notification of the IOC’s position will be sent to the IOA,” the IOC said in a statement.

IOC is expected to send a notification to IOA soon on the matter to discuss the deadlock.

Since the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in December 2012, the IOC has been working towards finding a solution to improve good governance within the IOA.

The IOC also provided the IOA with a roadmap and sent observers to the IOA’s General Assembly (GA) that took place here Aug 25.

The IOA, during its Special General Meeting here, refused to incorporate the contentious IOC-proposed clause that would have barred charge-sheeted individuals from holding any post and suggested an alternative that would affect only convicted officials.

India was banned from the Olympics in December 2012 over the IOA’s election process. Since then, the country’s athletes have been barred from competing in international meets under the Indian flag.