The International Olympic Committee on Friday issued the roadmap for India’s return to the Olympic fold under which the IOA will have to amend its constitution before July 15 and elect new office bearers by September 1, both under the watchful eyes of the world body.
The IOC said in a letter to Sports Minister Jitendra Singh and acting IOA chief V K Malhotra that it would start the process of lifting the ban on India after the guidelines in the roadmap are implemented.
The IOA will have to decide on the date of Extraordinary General Body Meeting to amend its constitution and that of election of new office bearers within the time frame set by the IOC.
The roadmap was issued on the basis of “agreement” after discussions on May 15 in lausanne between Indian officials and the IOC, which the world body described as “fruitful and productive”.
“IOA shall hold an extraordinary meeting of its members (no later than 15 July 2013) in order in particular to review its constitution and ensure that all standards of good governance and ethics are effectively addressed and implemented in the new constitution,” the letter written by IOC Director General, Christophe De Kepper, said. “The proposals for amendments will come from membership of the suspended IOA and from the IOC. These amendment proposals (which will be submitted to this extraordinary meeting) will be closely coordinated between the IOC member in India, the IOC administration and a representative of the sports federation members of the suspended IOA.
“The whole process shall be completed as soon as possible and the extraordinary meeting of the IOA shall take place no later than 15 July 2013,” said the letter which was also addressed to IOC member in India, Randhir Singh and, interestingly, to all the members of the suspended IOA.
The IOC made it clear that the IOA will “elect an independent election commission comprising three members who will be in charge of conducting the whole election process (before and during the Elective General Assembly)” under the supervision of the world body.
“(The IOA shall) decide upon the exact date on which the Elective General Assembly will be held to elect the new office bearers of the IOA based on the newly revised constitution and the Olympic Charter,” the IOC letter said.
“IOA shall hold an Elective General Assembly (not later than 1 September 2013) to elect new office-bearers of the IOA. The election process will be conducted by the election commission in a free, fair and transparent manner based on the newly revised constitution of the IOA and the Olympic Charter, and will be placed under the supervision of IOC.”