India's return to Olympic fold delayed, IOC rejects IOA's compromise formula

International Olympic Commitee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge of Belgium speaks during a news conference in Buenos Aires September 4, 2013. The IOC will elect the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics at their session on Saturday (Reuters)

India's wait to get back to Olympic fold will be delayed further after the International Olympic Committee stuck to its stand on the chargesheet clause, clearly stating that the Indian Olympic Association has to adopt the above mentioned clause in order to ensure good governance. Also Read: IOA continues to defy IOC

In its Special General Body Meeting last month, the IOA had proposed a compromise formula to IOC's directive asking it to bar chargesheeted persons from contesting elections. According to the IOA proposal, the sanction will apply only to those officials who are convicted and sentenced to a jail term of more than two years. Also Read: Practise what you preach: IOA to IOC

But the IOC stood firm on its stand during its Executive Board (EB) meeting ahead of the 125th IOC Session here and asked IOA to accept all demands in full before conducting elections. Also Read: We can either get reforms in IOA or go back to status-quo, says Abhinav Bindra

"Since the suspension of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in December 2012, the IOC has been working towards finding a solution to improve good governance within the National Olympic Committee (NOC)," the IOC said in a statement on its website.

"The IOC provided the IOA with a roadmap and sent observers to the IOA's General Assembly (GA) that took place on 25 August. The EB heard a report that the GA had approved most of the amendments to the IOA's constitution requested by the IOC, but one specific clause had not been adopted.

"This clause, which deals specifically with the eligibility of members, is key to the good governance of the NOC and needs to be fully accepted before the suspended IOA can proceed with the elections. An official notification of the IOC's position will be sent to the IOA," the statement read.