International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach has said that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) remained suspended from the Olympics for the time being. He, however, said that Indian athletes are free to compete in Sochi Winter Olympics as individual competitors under the IOC flag. Mr Bach said, the IOC will lift the suspension once new elections for IOA are held. He said, if the elections, currently scheduled for 9th of February next year are advanced to take place before Sochi, the IOC could act quickly to allow India's three qualified athletes to compete under their national flag.The decision came two days after the IOA amended its constitution to ban corruption-tainted officials from running for election, as demanded by the IOC. The Indian body was suspended last December after electing Secretary General Lalit Bhanot, who spent 10 months in jail on corruption charges related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.