IOC suspends India's Olympic Association

PanARMENIAN.Net - The International Olympic Committee has suspended India's Olympic Association over an election for planning to stage an election that was to be contested by just one official who had been accused of corruption, according to CNN.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was due to hold elections on Wednesday in which Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody on corruption charges linked to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, but has since been released on bail, had been set to be appointed.

Until the suspension is lifted, Indian athletes will not be able to participate in Game events, with the IOA also losing its IOC funding.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) took the decision because of the IOA's "failure to comply with the Olympic Charter and its statures, failure to inform the IOC in a timely matter, and as a protective measure against government interference in the IOA's election process," said the Olympic governing body in a statement.

"With this decision, the IOA is no longer entitled to exercise any activity or right, including financial support, conferred upon it by the Olympic Charter or the IOC until the suspension is lifted by the IOC executive board. In particular, the executive board confirms that the IOA is not entitled to hold any elections until all pending issues are resolved and the EB decides to lift the suspension."