Indian Ministry grants IOA exemption to keep 16-member council

The Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has granted a special exemption to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), allowing it to maintain its 16-member Executive Council. This decision follows a recommendation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to keep the council size unchanged.

Under the National Sports Governance Act, the council was previously limited to 15 members. However, the Ministry utilized Section 37(2) of the Act, which permits exemptions to ensure national sports entities remain aligned with the rules of their international federations.

The current 16-member council includes ex-officio IOC members in India who hold voting rights. Following this exemption, the structure will consist of 15 members plus the IOC representatives. This development comes ahead of the IOA elections scheduled for later this year.