NEW DELHI: The government has assured the Allahabad High Court that India will ensure the participation of the country in the next Olympics.

Additional Solicitor General K C Kaushik told the Lucknow bench of the Court that sports persons will not suffer irrespective of whether the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) amends its Constitution.  

In the public interest litigation filed by IPS officer Amitabh Thakur and his wife Nutan relating to suspension of IOA from the International Olympics Committee (IOC), Kaushik told Justice Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya that the participation will be ensured even if suspension is not revoked.

The next date of hearing is 21 October. IOC suspended IOA in December 2012 for not complying with the directions to suitably amend its Constitution and again recently directed IOA to amend its constitution by 31 October.

The petitioners had asked the Sports Ministry to be directed to use its authority to ensure that IOC directions are complied in the prescribed period and Indian sports person participate in Olympics.