IOC happy with IOC constitutional amendments, wants polls

New Delhi: Pleased with the constitutional amendments undertaken by the IOA to bar charge-framed officials, the International Olympic Committee now wants the Indian body to conduct its elections as soon as possible to ensure a smooth return to the Olympic fold.

In its first Executive Board meeting led by President Thomas Bach since his election in Lausanne, the IOC expressed satisfaction with the IOA for making amendments which would bar charge-framed officials from the contesting the body's elections.

"On Sunday, the currently suspended NOC of India agreed to amend a clause in its constitution as requested by the IOC to meet the basic standards for ethics, good governance and integrity," the IOC said in a statement.

"The Executive Board welcomed these latest positive developments, which pave the way for the IOC to approve the new NOC constitution and for the NOC to hold its elections as soon as possible," it added.

The IOA has set February 9 as the date to hold fresh elections and the IOC said in case the Indian body fails to do so, the country's athletes would have to compete under the Olympic flag in the Winter Games in Sochi scheduled from February 7 to 23.

"Should the NOC not be able to complete the remaining steps of the agreed roadmap by the start of the Sochi Games in February, the EB decided that any Indian athlete that qualifies to compete at Sochi 2014 would be allowed to compete as an independent Olympic participant under the Olympic flag," the IOC stated.

"The Executive Board also made it clear that, in this event, no Indian flags or symbols would be used at the Games."

Meanwhile, India's first individual Olympic gold-medallist, shooter Abhinav Bindra, welcomed the latest developments. "Happy to see that India's return to the Olympics is close. Hope everything is implemented in the right spirit and before Sochi," he tweeted.

The IOA was left with no choice after the IOC served an ultimatum on November 15 to amend the constitution to bar charge-framed persons from contesting polls by December 10. The ultimatum came after the IOA sought to repeatedly avoid following IOC's stern directive.

In its October 27 Special GBM, the IOA had sought to dilute IOC's directive on the charge-framed clause by proposing to refer such cases to its internal Ethics Commission, which was later rejected by the world body.

Suspended on December 5 last for government interference in its functioning and for allowing corruption-tainted persons to contest elections, the IOA top brass had remained adamant taking the stand that Indian law allowed charge-sheeted persons to contest Parliamentary polls.

The de-recognition threat and reports of a planned ad-hoc committee led to the IOA top brass finally understanding the futility of taking on the IOC.

 Clean Sports India (CSI), a body which wants to weed out corruption from sports, also thanked the IOC for the decision.

"We sincerely thank the IOC in making the IOA agree to all the important amendments and its a major victory for CSI for keeping Suresh Kalmadi, Abhay Singh Chautala, Lalit Bhanot and other tainted officials out of the IOA elections till they are cleared by the courts", CSI convenor B V P Rao said.

"This is an opportunity for all former sportspersons to come forward and contest their own federation elections and make the system transparent and accountable", he added.

Ministry welcomes IOC's softening of stand on IOA

Ministry welcomes IOC's softening of stand on IOA

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry today welcomed the International Olympic Committee's decision to revoke India's suspension if the IOA holds its polls next year, saying that its own efforts have had a role to play in the world body's new stand.

The IOC has expressed satisfaction with the IOA for undertaking amendments in its constitution which would bar charge-framed officials from the body. The IOC asked the IOA to now conduct its polls as soon as possible to ensure a return to the Olympic fold. The IOA has already set aside February 9 to conduct its election.

"The Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports (Independent Charge), Shri Jitendra Singh has welcomed the decision taken by International Olympic Committee (IOC) at its Executive Board meeting to lift the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)," the Ministry said in a statement.

The Minister stated that this decision of IOC would enable the Indian sportspersons to participate in multi-disciplinary sports events such as Olympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games under the Indian National Flag.

"...the pride and prestige associated with playing for the country under its National Flag motivates and lifts the performance of sportspersons," he said.

"The Ministry has been actively engaged with the IOC in the resolution of the matter of suspension of IOA from the time when IOC suspended IOA on 4th December 2013 citing IOA's failure to comply with the Olympic Charter and its statutes, failure to inform the IOC in a timely manner, and as a protective measure against Government interference in the IOA's election process."

Singh had led a Government delegation to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Headquarters in Lausanne in May this year in an effort to ensure that a road map was agreed to and conditions were created for ending the suspension of IOA at the earliest.

"IOA has, on its part, agreed to amend its constitution as per IOC's requirements particularly on the issue of keeping charge-framed sportspersons out of IOA elections.

"The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has consistently supported the demand of the IOC that charge-framed persons be kept out of IOA. It has been urging IOA members during consultations from time to time to heed the advice of IOC and change its constitution in the interest of Indian sports and Indian sportspersons," the Ministry stated.

Singh expressed happiness that "all these efforts have culminated in decision of IOC revoking suspension of IOA. He expressed the hope that free and fair elections would be held to IOA in February next year as scheduled."