India row with IOC heads towards resolution

A row between India and the International Olympic Committee which has led to the suspension of the Asian nation from all Olympic activities is heading towards a possible resolution, the IOC said.

The IOC banned India in December after refusing to recognise the results of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections due to government interference, which led to a tainted official being named its secretary general.

"We are optimistic that this is heading in the right direction. There is a roadmap for dealing with this," IOC spokesman Mark Adams said after the IOC's Executive Board discussed the matter on Thursday.

The IOA has to hold elections by September 1 and will have to hold an extraordinary meeting by mid-July to make amendments to its constitution before holding the elections.

Adams said the suspension had not yet been lifted but there was progress following talks in Lausanne this month.

"It would be fair to say that we are on a good track but we are waiting for them to act," he said.

The ban meant an end to funding from the IOC for the IOA, no Indian officials attending Olympic meetings and Indian athletes banned from competing at the Olympics under their country's flag.

Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters