The suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) finally bowed down to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) warning and amended its constitution to bar tainted individuals from contesting its elections.
A Special General Body Meeting (SGBM) met on Sunday and took the decision. Country's apex sports body also announced that fresh IOA elections will be held Feb 9.
Senior IOA official S. Raghunathan, who chaired the SGBM that was attended by 134 members, said Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot, who are president and secretary general, respectively, of the suspended IOA, will be ineligible to contest the Feb 9 election. Both Chautala and Bhanot are facing serious charges of corruption.
Raghunathan also said that the duo need not step down now and can do so after the amendments are approved by the IOC.
"The House unanimously decided to amend the relevant clause in IOA constitution which would bar charge-framed persons from contesting elections. Both Chautala and Bhanot told the House that they will not contest the upcoming elections. In fact, Chautala proposed the amendment while Bhanot seconded it. We also decided to hold elections on February 9," said Reghunathan.
Raghunathan said that if the amendment is accepted by the IOC board then the year-long suspension will be lifted within seven days.
Chautala said the amendment clause was agreed upon following pressure from the apex body.
"We have done this only for the sake of the country and our athletes. We still don't agree to the IOC's charge-sheet clause, because that is not the law of our country. You can check with all IOA members, we did this only after pressure from the IOC. This is only why we have agreed to amend our constitution," said Chautala.
On Friday, IOC President Thomas Bach threatened to throw out India from the Olympic movement.
The IOC last month set a deadline of Dec 9 for the IOA to amend the constitution failing which it would recommend to its executive board, scheduled to meet Dec 10-11, to de-recognize India.
IOA has been suspended by IOC since December 4 last year for its flawed election process.
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