Sports Minister Vijay Goel announced last week that the funding and support provided to the IOA would be cut after the organisation awarded Honorary Presidencies to two corruption-tainted officials.

Former IOA Presidents Suresh Kalmadi and Abhay Singh Chautala were unanimously proposed for the positions, which are largely ceremonial and do not bring any voting power or right to attend events, during an Annual General Meeting in Chennai.

Kalmadi has since declined the Honorary Life Presidency but the IOA’s decision has still sparked fury within the country, particularly at the Sports Ministry.

Goel’s decision came after the Sports Ministry wrote to the IOA to ascertain the reasons why the two scandal-hit officials were honoured as life Presidents.

A show-cause notice was issued on December 28 and the IOA were given three days to respond.

The IOA claimed they would not be able to reply before the deadline, however, as Ramachandran is away in New Zealand over the holiday period.

They had asked for 15 days to explain their reasons but this was denied by Goel.

Ramachandran will now ask for advice from both the IOC and the OCA before taking up the matter with the Government.

Goel’s announcement also raised the possibility of the IOA being suspended again by the IOC for Government interference.

The body was only reinstated in 2014 following a suspension for the same reason.

"I am away in New Zealand, on a personal issue relating to my family," Ramachandran said in a statement published on the Indian Sports News website.

"I understand that the Government has suspended the Indian Olympic Association due to the conferment of the life time Presidency to Suresh Kalmadi and to Abhay Singh Chautala.

"The IOA is a body that has to function under the guidance and supervision of OCA and IOC.

"On my return in the New Year I shall discuss this issue with the OCA and the IOC after their offices open in the New Year for their guidance and advice, and thereafter take this up with the Government to see how this issue can be resolved."

The Sports Ministry’s decision to suspend the IOA has been praised by Abhinav Bindra, who remains India’s only individual Olympic Games gold medallist after he won the 10 metres air rifle title at Beijing 2008.

"The @Olympics movement and specially the movement in India can no longer hide behind autonomy," he wrote on Twitter.

"It’s the age of good governance and ethics.

"Change in Indian sport will only happen if mandated.

"A law is necessary in India.

"A good step by @IndiaSports & @vijaygoelbjp to suspend IOA."

Change in Indian sport will only happen if mandated. A law is necessary in India. A good step by @IndiaSports & @vijaygoelbjp to suspend IOA

— Abhinav Bindra (@Abhinav_Bindra) December 31, 2016

Kalmadi, IOA President from 1996 to 2012, spent 10 months in jail from April 2011 to January 2012 on corruption charges related to the his chairmanship of the Organising Committee at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

He was charged with conspiracy, forgery and misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act, but is yet to face trial.

Chautala was elected IOA President in 2012 but left the post after the IOA were suspended by the IOC for Government interference in the election.

He was also accused of corruption in a disproportionate assets case in which he was given bail by a Delhi court in 2010.