New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association has amended its constitution in line with the International Olympic Committee's insistence that all persons charged with an offence be prevented from contesting elections.
The changes were made at a meeting in New Delhi Sunday just two days ahead of a Tuesday deadline set for the Indian body, which wanted to bar only persons convicted for two years or more and leave the cases of those convicted for lesser periods to be judged by an internal committee.
The IOA was suspended in December last year for not following its own constitution and electing tainted officials, notably secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, who spent 10 months in jail on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
Bhanot and President Abhay Chautala, charged in a recruitment scam not related to sports, are now among those ineligible to contest elections announced for Feb. 9.
