New Delhi:
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will this week set the ball rolling for elections to reconstitute the dope-tainted Indian Weighlifting Federation, the officials of which resigned en masse after six lifters tested positive for banned substances last month.
IOA Secretary General Randhir Singh said that dates for the elections would be announced in the coming few days and none of those who resigned would be allowed to contest.
"We would issue notification for the elections in the coming week and no one from the previous federation would be allowed to contest," Randhir said.
"The IOA will start discussing the matter tomorrow," he added.
The Indian Federation, which has been banned twice in the past, is once again faced with the possibility of stringent punishment from the international body for the most recent dope scandal in which six lifters flunked out-of-competition WADA tests in September in Pune.
The international body is currently analysing the cases and will take a final decision on whether to ban India or let it off with a fine in the coming weeks.
Randhir, however, is hopeful that India would escape a ban.