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Indian flag to fly at Sochi as Olympic ban lifted
February 11, 2014, 7:01 am

India makes a comeback to the Olympic fold following "clean elections" in the Indian Olympic Association [AP]

India makes a comeback to the Olympic fold following “clean elections” in the Indian Olympic Association [AP]

Indian athletes will now walk beneath the Indian tri-colour at the Sochi Olympics as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has overturned an earlier ban on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Tuesday.

“We have been informed by the International Olympic Committee that the ban on India has been lifted,” said new IOA official Rajeev Mehta on Monday.

The Indian Olympic body was suspended for electing Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in jail on corruption charges as secretary general in 2012.

New IOA president N. Ramachandran and Rajeev Mehta, the new secretary general of the body, were both elected unopposed on Sunday hoping to overturn the ban.

Jerome Poivey, IOC’s head of institutional relations, event went on to state that the amended Indian Olympic Association’s constitution was one of the best in the world and it should be implemented fully.

Indian athletes were participating under the Olympic flag at the current Winter Games in Sochi.

TBP