IOC postpones deadline for IOA to amend constitution

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has informed the suspended Indian Olympic Association (IOA) that it has extended the deadline to amend their constitution, saying it need more time to review the draft.

The deadline was set for July 15 for the amendment of the IOA constitution and pave way for free and fair elections by Sep 1 to lift the ban on India imposed Dec 4 last year.

"I would like to inform you that, given the complexity of the issues which have to be addressed (including good governance and ethics), the IOC needs more time to coordinate all comments internally," IOC Director General Christophe De Kepper said in his letter addressed to India's Sport Ministry Jitender Singh.

"The IOC will therefore not be able to meet the deadline initially established (July 15) for the first Extraordinary General Assembly of the suspended IOA to take place. Consequently, this initial deadline of July 15 will have to be slightly extended until the IOC can compile and send all necessary comments for the new IOA Constitution.

"In the next few days, I will confirm a reasonable date/period that could be envisaged for this first Extraordinary General Assembly to take place," he said.

De Kepper also sent a copy of the letter to India's Sports Secretary Pradeep Deb, IOA's acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra, and IOC member and IOA secretary general Raja Randhir Singh.

De Kepper said the IOC is still studying the amendments.

"The IOC has received the proposed amendments to the current IOA Constitution and is now in the process of reviewing the IOA Constitution as a whole (including but not limited to the amendment proposals received)," he said.