IOC gives Sri Lanka until end of year to revise sports law

LAUSANNE, SWITSERLAND: The International Olympic Committee has given Sri Lanka until the end of the year to revise its sports legislation or face possible suspension.

The IOC says it held "constructive" and "fruitful" meetings in Lausanne with a Sri Lankan delegation led by Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara.

The talks were aimed at ensuring that Sri Lanka's sports law "is compatible with the basic principles and rules that govern the Olympic Movement."

The IOC says the two sides agreed that "the revision process for the sports legislation will be completed by the end of this year."

The IOC can suspend national Olympic committees in the event of government interference. On Tuesday, the IOC gave Kuwait until Oct. 27 to resolve a dispute over its sports legislation.

In recent years, the IOC has suspended Kuwait, India, Ghana and Panama. All were eventually reinstated.