IOC nod to India for hosting international sports events

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Thursday lifted its bar on India hosting international sporting events after Union Sports Secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya assured full cooperation from the government to athletes from all nations to participate in sporting events in the country.

"The IOC Executive Board has examined the situation at its meeting today (Thursday) and understands that, with this letter, the principle of non-discrimination of athletes and teams participating in future international sports events in India will be fully respected, so that all eligible athletes and sporting delegations, as determined by the international sports organisations concerned, will be allowed to enter the country and participate in any such international sports events irrespective of their country of origin," IOC's Director of Olympic Solidarity and NOC Relations, James Macleod, wrote in an email to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Narinder Batra.

Elated with the development, Batra thanked Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju for his "highly positive, professional, constructive, support and guidance".

Earlier, in the letter to Batra, accessed by IANS, Julaniya had said that the Indian government will permit all qualifying athletes belonging to any nationality to participate in sporting events without any prejudice.

The IOC had, recently, put India's prospective bids for all big-ticket events on hold for refusing visas to two Pakistani shooters. In November last year, India were let off with a warning for not giving visa to a boxer from Kosovo. IANS