India complete Olympic return, national flag unfurled at Sochi

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Ten days into the XXII Winter Olympics, the Indian national flag was finally allowed to unfurl at the Games Village at Sochi on February 16. The unfurling ceremony attended by a motley group of Indian squad, Indian Olympic Association`s newly-elected President N Ramachandran and other invitees, marked the successful return of India to the Olympic fold. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) lifted the 14-month old ban on India following Sunday`s election which elected World Squash Federation chief and younger brother of BCCI boss N Srinivasan, N Ramachandran as the president of IOA. However, the announcement of the revocation arrived two days after the elections at an ad-hoc meeting of IOC`s executive board in Sochi. India has three athletes competing in Sochi – luger Shiva Keshavan, alpine skier Himanshu Thakur and cross country skier Nadeem Iqbal. During the opening ceremony of the Games at the Black Sea resort, they marched under the IOC flag and have been competing as independent athletes. Now, with seven days left to the closing ceremony, Indian representatives will be able to wear the official IOC dress with India written over it, and can use the Tricolor in official events including the closing ceremony on February 23. IOA was suspended on December 4, 2012 for violating Olympic Charter and adhering to government`s Sports Code which allowed tainted persons to take part in the election process.