IOA defies IOC as it goes ahead with controversial elections despite suspension

C. Rajshekhar Rao, The Associated Press

NEW DELHI - The Indian Olympic Association went ahead with its elections on Wednesday despite the International Olympic Committee having declared that the polls will not stand, while also suspending the national body.

The IOA announced its elected members in voting held in defiance of the IOC, having declared last week that Abhay Singh Chautala had been elected unopposed as president and Lalit Bhanot as secretary-general.

Bhanot said after the elections that the polls had been held "in compliance with a court order" and that he was willing to resign in case he was found guilty of graft in an ongoing court case.

The IOC suspended the IOA on Tuesday for failing to comply with the Olympic Charter and its statutes, and also for failing to inform the IOC in a timely manner.