India likely to return to Olympic fold soon: 10 latest developments

In a Special General Body meeting on Sunday in New Delhi, the IOA decided to follow the IOC's guidelines on good governance and bar officials, who are accused of corruption and other charges.

As a result Lalit Bhanot and Abhey Singh Chautala will not feature in the fresh IOA elections, which will be held on February 9.

Had India not complied, it faced becoming the first country to be expelled from the Olympics since South Africa was kicked out more than 40 years ago.

A formal announcement on lifting of the ban is expected from IOC after the elections are held.

IOC President Thomas Bach yesterday said the IOA remains suspended for the time being but Indian athletes are free to compete in Sochi Winter Olympics as individual competitors under the international body's flag.

Mr Bach said the IOC would lift the suspension once new elections are held and if the elections, scheduled for February 9, are moved up to take place before Sochi, the IOC could act quickly to allow India's three qualified athletes to compete under their national flag.

The Indian body was suspended last December after electing secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, who spent 10 months in jail on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

"They are not entitled to have elections and if for some reason they go ahead, this will not be recognized," IOC's Pere Miro, in charge of relations with national Olympic committees, said in December last year.

"This is because this is part of a full problem," Mr Miro had said, "The election process has been tarnished since the origin. Many different interferences, many governmental rules and their own bad interpretation of IOA statutes," Miro had said.

When the IOC lifts the ban on the IOA, Indian athletes will be able to participate in IOC-approved events under the Indian flag.