NEW DELHI: In a major respite for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the Dec 10 elections of the IOA's executive council (EC), describing it "in accordance with the IOA constitution adopted by its general assembly on Nov 10, 2022".
The IOC informed that the IOA has now become fully compliant with the Olympic charter and, as such, the threat of a ban hovering over India's national Olympic committee no longer exists.
In its communication to newly-elected IOA president PT Usha, the IOC wrote: "As the election process was completed in accordance with the decisions taken by the IOC executive board and the agreed roadmap, we are pleased to confirm that, as far as the IOC and the Olympic Council of Asia are concerned, the situation is nowfully normalised and we can resume our regular activities with the IOA."
The letter, a copy of which is exclusively with TOI, was jointly written by James MacLeod, IOC's director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations and Husain Al-Musallam, director general and technical director of the OCA.
"We look forward to establishing a fruitful collaboration with you and the newly-elected IOA leadership and to working closely together to support and assist the IOA in performing its mission and daily activities, in the interest of the Olympic movement and the athletes in India, in accordance with the Olympic charter," the letter added.
In September, the IOC threatened to ban IOA for its failure to elect a new set of office-bearers and to also take away the hosting rights of the IOC session in Mumbai next year. The elections are still subject to the approval of the Supreme Court, which will hear the case on January 10.
