International Olympic Committee lifts India suspension

A ban on India's Olympic Association (IOA) has been lifted, allowing the country to return to the Olympic fold and Indian athletes to compete under their own flag at the current Sochi Winter Olympics and future Games.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended India for electing officials accused of corruption in December 2012, in breach of the Olympic charter. The suspension has now been reversed as a result of new and apparently fair IOA elections completed on Sunday (9th February).

Indian athletes had been competing at the Sochi Winter Games under the IOC flag but can now do so under their own.

This is the first time a suspension of a national Olympic committee has been lifted during an Olympic Games and it comes into effect immediately.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying "the decision means Indian athletes can compete for their national Olympic committee. They can walk behind their national flag at the closing ceremony."

Adams advised that the Indian flag will also be raised in the Sochi Winter Games.

IOC member Randhir Singh welcomed the decision and said it was "great news for Indian sport."

Singh told the Associated Press news agency "it's time everyone understands that the Olympic charter is supreme. It is important that sport is run well and tainted officials are kept out in a country of 1.2 billion in which 40% is youth." he told the Associated Press news agency.

The IOA's new board, led by world squash chief N Ramachandran, now meets international requirements that no person convicted or facing corruption allegations can be included.

The IOC suspended India in 2012 for holding elections in defiance of the Olympic charter and appointing officials facing corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

At that time, Abhay Singh Chautala was elected unopposed as IOA President and Lalit Bhanot as IOA Secretary-General. The elections were declared void by the IOC.

Bhanot spent 11 months in jail in 2011 on corruption charges linked to the Delhi Commonwealth Games event before he was released on bail. Chautala had close links to his predecessor Suresh Kalmadi, who is also on bail on similar charges.

Both Kalmadi and Bhanot deny any wrongdoing.