New Delhi, Sep 5 (IANS): Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the president of the recognised Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Thursday regretted International Olympic Committee’s decision aggainst revoking its suspension of India but promised his best efforts ensure the country's return to the Olympic movement.

"The continuance of the ban is definitely detrimental to Indian sports and prestige. I am quite unhappy that India is out of the Olympic movement at the moment," said Malhotra in a statement.

The veteran sports administrator requested all the stake holders in the suspended IOA to stand united and find out a way to lift the ban.

"We have to follow the IOC charter. The only thing is they can have more clarifications here and there. Definitely, I am also of the opinion that people facing criminal and corruption charges shouldn't contest the election. But we need see to what stage it can be made applicable.

"The government has also taken its view on it and gone to the Supreme Court. So we will like to study all these things and then convey our acceptance to the IOC clause," Malhotra added.

Malhotra said had no clue of what transpired in the IOA's Special General Meeting held here Aug 25 since he had boycotted it.

"I didn't attend the meeting because I as a president didn't call it. So, what transpired there I didn't have first-hand knowledge. But now I will have to discuss it with all those people.

"I have talked to IOA members (after the meeting) and they said that IOC members were convinced and the ban will be lifted. It appeared that they were convinced that India has done whatever they were needed to do. But IOC should have clearly told at the time when the clause was being discussed that if you don't agree to this clause, we will not lift the ban," he said.

Malhotra also said that the IOC clause, that keeps out chargsheeted officials, should be applicable to all member countries.

"If it is for all countries, naturally, we will have to follow it," he said.