India faces the ultimate sanction of expulsion from the Olympics unless it keeps corruption-tainted officials out of its ranks, IOC President Thomas Bach said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Bach said the IOC is prepared to withdraw recognition of the Indian Olympic Association if it fails to comply with "rules of good governance" by Tuesday, a punishment that would leave the world's second-most populous nation out of all Olympic competitions.
"It's about the principles," Bach said. "Good governance for the IOC is a key issue. We need to be strict and to make sure the rules of good governance are being applied."
If India is thrown out, it would be the first time a country has been kicked out of the Olympic movement since South Africa was expelled for its racial segregation policies more than 40 years ago.
The Indian Olympic body is scheduled to meet Sunday in New Delhi to consider amending its constitution to meet the IOC's directive. If there is no breakthrough, the International Olympic Committee executive board is set to recommend "de-recognition" of the Indian committee at its meeting on Tuesday in Lausanne.
"'We will see if there is any last-moment movement," Bach said. "If not, then we have to consider to take the next step."
The IOC suspended the Indian body a year ago because of government interference in its election process. While many of the issues have been resolved since then, the Indians have yet to agree to the IOC demand to bar officials who have been charged with a criminal offense — an impasse that has led to the final ultimatum.
"The (Olympic) charter is clear," Bach said. "If the suspension leads to no solution, then further steps could be withdrawal of recognition."
It would be the first major ruling of the IOC board under Bach, who was elected president on Sept. 10, succeeding Jacques Rogge. Bach is the former president of Germany's national Olympic committee.
The IOC executive board could take a preliminary decision on withdrawing recognition of India. A final ruling would go to the full IOC, which next meets in early February in Sochi, Russia, on the eve of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
"Withdrawal of recognition would mean there is no NOC (National Olympic Committee) any more in India," Bach said. "That means no participation, no subsidies."
Under the current suspension, the Indian body has stopped receiving IOC funding and its officials have been banned from attending Olympic meetings and events. India's athletes are barred from competing in Olympic events under their national flag.
Stripping India completely of IOC recognition would leave the country without any Olympic involvement. It would keep Indian athletes out of the Olympics and related events such as the Asian Games. Other international federations could also follow suit.
The IOC has given athletes from suspended nations the chance to compete as individuals under the Olympic flag. It's unclear what options could be open to Indian athletes if their Olympic body is expelled.
"In the Olympics we would have to see whether we would find individual solutions, but they could in no way represent India," Bach said. "We always want to protect the interest of the athletes. We have to consider a way. I cannot tell you what the result will be."
