Malhotra urges united IOA stand to revoke IOC ban

The Indian Olympic Association on Thursday regretted the International Olympic Committee's decision not to revoke its suspension on it but promised to make its best efforts to see India's return to the Olympic fold.

In a press statement, acting-president of IOA (recognized by the IOC) Vijay Kumar Malhotra said: "The continuance of the ban is definitely detrimental to Indian sports and India's prestige. I am quite unhappy that India is out of the Olympic movement at the moment." Malhotra, a senior BJP functionary, requested IOA's stake holders to stand united and find out a way by which the ban could be lifted.

Malhotra said: "We have to follow the IOC Charter. I am also of the opinion that people facing criminal and corruption charges shouldn't contest elections. But we need see to (till) what stage it can be made applicable. The government has also taken its view on it and gone to the Supreme Court. So we will like to study all these things and then convey our acceptance of the IOC's (charge sheet) clause,"

The executive body of the IOC wants IOA to modify constitution and accept "charge-sheet" clause for good governance. But India remain defiant as IOA vice-president Tarlochan Singh says charge-sheet clause was an "ordinary issue" and no amendment was possible without general body's approval.

Following the IOA AGM on August 25 which he didn't attend, Malhotra said he was under the impression the IOC was going to lift the ban. "It appeared that they were convinced that India have done whatever they were needed to do. But IOC should have clearly told at the time when the (charge-sheet) clause was being discussed that if you don't agree to this clause, we will not lift the ban," he said.

Malhotra urged that "the IOC (charge sheet) clause should be applicable to all member countries. If it is for all countries, naturally, we will have to follow it."