India&rsquo;s double Olympic medal-winner Sushil Kumar yesterday welcomed the International Olympic Committee&rsquo;s (IOC) move to lift the suspension on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). &ldquo;The bad phase of Indian sport is over,&rdquo; Sushil told MiD DAY over the phone from New Delhi yesterday referring to the 14-month period during which India was shunted out of the Olympic movement due to the presence of tainted officials within its ranks.&nbsp;
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2014/feb/12sushil.jpg" alt="" /> India wrestler Sushil Kumar. Pics/AFP
The IOC yesterday welcomed the IOA back into its fold days after ensuring the conduct of a fresh election wherein World Squash Federation N Ramachandran was elected IOA president and All India Tennis Association chief Anil Khanna was elected treasurer thereby marking the exit of scam-tainted Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot from the IOA. IOC&rsquo;s Executive Board took the decision at an ad-hoc meeting in Sochi yesterday.
Sushil hailed the IOC move as a proud moment for Indian sport. &ldquo;Being shunned out of the Olympics was an embarrassing episode for us, but by being welcome back, we have proved to the world that we are a clean nation,&rdquo; the 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze-winning medallist said.
The move could not have come at a better time, felt the 2012 London Olympics silver-winning wrestler.
&ldquo;There are two major competitions this year &mdash; Commonwealth Games (23 July-August 3) and Asian Games (Sept 19 to Oct 4) and athletes have been training under a lot of stress given the possibility of having to take part in these games without the national flag like our athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Now, there&rsquo;s no such fear, so we can train all train with a free mind and this will only translate into an improved performance and a better medal haul,&rdquo; said the 30-year-old freestyle grappler.

India's double Olympic medal-winning wrestler says IOC's move to lift IOA suspension is perfectly timed since CWG and Asian Games are close at hand

Bad phase of Indian sport is over: Sushil Kumar

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India's double Olympic medal-winning wrestler says IOC's move to lift IOA suspension is perfectly timed since CWG and Asian Games are close at hand

Bad phase of Indian sport is over: Sushil Kumar

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Bad phase of Indian sport is over: Sushil Kumar

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