New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has  revoked the 14 month old suspension of India after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elected new office-bearers here on February 09,  keeping the tainted officials out of the process.
“The IOC has informed us through telephone that the ban on India has been lifted,” newly-elected IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta said.
Jerome Poivey, IOC’s head of institutional relations, event went on to state that the amended IOA constitution was one of the best in the world and it should be implemented fully.
World Squash Federation (WSF) chief N. Ramachandran was unopposed elected the IOA president while Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) president Rajeev Mehta and All India Tennis Association (AITA) president Anil Khanna were elected, also unopposed, respectively as the secretary general and treasurer.
The polls were conducted in the presence of three IOC observers headed by Dr. Robin Mitchell and Pere Miro and Jerome Poivey.
Mitchell said that a decision on revoking India’s suspension from the Olympic Movement will be taken before the closing ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics at IOC’s executive committee meeting Feb 23.
“By tomorrow 5 o’clock, we will be in Sochi and will submit our report to IOC president Thomas Bach. On February 23, before the closing of the Winter Games, the IOC executive committee will meet and will take a call on the suspension,” Mitchell told reporters.
Most of the candidates for the IOA posts were elected unanimously but a contest could not be avoided for the eight posts of vice-president for which nine candidates had filed nominations.
Only Rowing Federation of India (RFI) president Rajlaxmi Singh Deo missed out as Anurag Thakur, Akhilesh Das Gupta, Janardhan Singh Gehlot, R.K. Anand, G.S. Mandher, Tarlochan Singh, Birendra Prasad Baishya and Parminder Singh Dhindsa were elected the vice-presidents.
The IOA was suspended by the IOC in December 2012 over its controversial elections which did not comply with the Olympic Charter. Indians, since then, have been participating as individual athletes under the Olympic flag.
New IOA office-bearers:
President: N. Ramachandran
Senior vice-president: Virendra Nanavati
Vice-presidents: Anurag Thakur, Akhilesh Das Gupta, Janardhan Singh Gehlot, R.K. Anand, G.S. Mandher, Tarlochan Singh, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Parminder Singh Dhindsa
Secretary General: Rajeev Mehta
Treasurer: Anil Khanna