Newly elected Indian Olympic Association Joint Secretary S.M. Hashmi on Thursday expressed confidence that the issue of IOA’s suspension by the IOC "will be solved soon as the government has already taken up the issue" with the int'l governing body, according to the PTI. Hashmi, who is also the secretary general of Jharkhand Olympic Association said that "a delegation of IOA will meet the IOC officials to discuss the issue soon." He said that besides the secretary (sports ministry), government of India "has already written a letter to IOC recently in regard with the issue and assured that there will be no interference with the Olympic Charter set by the int'l body." Asked when would the IOA officials meet the IOC counterparts, Hashmi said that "a decision would be taken in this connection at the next meeting of IOA, which was expected to be held soon" (PTI, 12/13).