IOC to ban India in December if IOA don't hold elections soon

IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta

The International Olympic Committee has threated to ban the Indian Olympic Association by December if they do not get their house in order immediately.

In a letter to IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta on September 8, IOC's Director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations, James Macleod, has issued a final warning to the Indian NOC that if their ongoing internal disputes, governance shortcomings and ongoing court cases are not resolved soon then India will be immediately suspended at the IOC Executive Board meeting to be held in December this year.

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The IOA elections that were to scheduled last December are held up by a court case seeking to change its constitution in accordance with the national sports code.

The IOC in its letter further states: "Any such suspension of the NOC of India would mean, (i) the athletes of India would no longer be able to represent the country and compete under the country's flag/name at the Olympic Games and other international sports events, (ii) The NOC of India will no longer be entitled to operate as an NOC according to its role as defined by the Olympic Charter. This would also mean that it would also receive no funding from the Olympic Movement until the suspension is lifted."

The IOC has instructed IOA to not just address and resolve its governance issues but to also "operate properly through its governing bodies i.e. the Executive Commitee and the General Assembly, and fulfil its obligations in particular by holding its quadrennial elections in accordance with the Olympic Charter."

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