India reinstated by IOC
India was reinstated by the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday, meaning that its flag will fly at the Sochi Games after all.
India's three Olympians were introduced at the opening ceremonies without their nation's flag because the Indian Olympic Association was suspended in December 2012 for electing what the IOC deemed tainted officials. The Indian athletes were announced as independent athletes and entered with the Olympic flag flying.
In order to get the ban lifted, the Indian Olympic Association had to hold new elections, which it finally did on Sunday. The IOC's executive board met on Wednesday to decided to reinstate India.
The immediate impact is threefold:
• Indian athletes will now compete for India and not as independents. That's effective immediately.
• The Indian flag will be raised in Olympic Village in a special ceremony. The date is yet to be determined.
• India's Olympians will fly their flag at the closing ceremonies.
The three Indians competing in Sochi are luger Shiva Keshavan and skiers Himanshu Thakur and Nadeem Iqbal.
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