11.02 IOC Lifts Ban on India During Sochi Games

SOCHI, February 11 (R-Sport) – India's Olympic status has been restored after 14 months in the wilderness for alleged corruption, the International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday after an ad hoc meeting in Sochi.

India was expelled last year after a man with a corruption conviction was elected to secretary general of the country's Olympic committee, in breach of IOC rules.

But on Sunday new elections for the Indian Olympic Association went ahead without Lalit Bhanot, who had spent nearly a year behind bars on graft charges.

"The IOC observers told the [IOC's executive board] members that the elections were held in full respect of the recently passed [National Olympic Committee] constitution, which complies with all IOC requirements, including the clause that no person convicted or charge-framed can run for a position within the organization," the IOC said in a statement.

Three Indian athletes have been competing in the February 7-23 Winter Games in the Russian city of Sochi under an international flag, but to symbolize the lifting of the suspension the Indian flag will be raised in the Olympic Village. There was no word on when that would be.

Narayna Ramachandran, the president of the World Squash Federation, was elected as the new IOA president and Rajeev Mehta chosen as the new secretary general.