The decision is effective from Monday and the last event in which the archers can participate under the Indian flag is the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid from August 19-25.
"World Archery is implementing the decision taken in June by suspending the Archery Association of India," World Archery secretary general Tom Dielen said in a statement, accessed by PTI.
The AAI had to find a solution by the end of July as per the deadline given WA's executive board and since no progress has been made, the world governing body implemented the suspension order.
"If no solution is found by the end of this month, the executive board will decide what can be done to preserve the chances of Indian athletes participating in the Asian Championships and Asian Para Championships," Dielen said in the statement, accessed by PTI.
Since a court judgement is expected on the dispute, the AAI had requested the WA to give it a few more days but it was turned down. Interestingly, suspension order has come a day before court hearing on the issue.
Olympic quota places will be up for grabs at the Asian Championships and Asian Para Championships, to be held in Bangkok in November.
India so far have three men's places secured for the next Olympics but has yet to win a women's spot.
"At the same time, World Archery will also decide whether individual athletes can participate in the Indoor Archery World Series."
Tournaments on the Indoor Archery World Series, held from November-February, are open to all athletes rather than just the national teams. But archers must be a member of a national federation in good standing to register.
In two separate elections, held simultaneously on June 9 in New Delhi and Chandigarh, AAI elected two presidents Arjun Munda and BVP Rao. Munda had support of 20 state associations while 10 state bodies backed Rao.
World Archery had sent a representative, Kazi Rajib Uddin Ahmed Chapol, as a mediator and observer for the elections but could not get both the factions to agree to a common election.
The Sports Authority (SAI) of India is now conducting trials for the upcoming Asian Championships in Sonepat and will announce the squad on Friday.
"Nothing is happening for us for last eight years. There has been no planning whatsoever. First, we were told that this will be for the Asian Championships and now after reaching here we were told that they are picking the squad for the Olympics as well," he said from Sonepat.
"Many senior archers have failed to come for the trials so does it mean that they would miss out on the Olympics selection? There has been no planning whatsoever."
The WA had earlier suspended the Polish Archery Federation, its member association in Poland, under similar circumstances in October last year but only to lift it in February this year.
The development came soon after Delhi High Court directed the sports ministry on Friday to form a five-member transition committee to look into the state of affairs of the suspended AAI till fresh elections are held.
Following the order, World Archery secretary general Tom Dielen wrote to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) secretary general Rajeev Mehta and even suggested four members of the committee, to be headed by retired Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court Justice B D Ahmad.
"If rapid progress is made and a clear road map is established by the end of August, World Archery might conditionally lift the suspension by the end of this month," Dielen said in the letter written to Mehta, a copy of which is in possession with PTI.
"We ask the IOA Secretary General to coordinate with the chairman to get the committee established as soon as possible," the letter said.
The WA suggested four names for the transition committee -- Mehta from IOA, R Rajagopal from the sports ministry, and B V P Rao and Virendra Sachdeva from the two rival AAI factions.
This transition committee is tasked "to prepare a road map for the AAI having a new election as well as a Constitution that respects both the Indian Sports Code and the World Archery Constitution".
"This road map will have to be approved by World Archery for the suspension to be lifted," Dielen wrote.
The committee will handle any transitional issues such as team selection process for the Olympic qualifying Asian Championships in Bangkok in November and prepare a selection process for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
"The organisation of a fair and open trials process will be essential for World Archery to accept participation in the events," Dielen said.
On Friday, hearing a PIL in the Rahul Mehra vs Union of India & Others, a Delhi HC Special Bench comprising Justice S Murlidhar and Najmi Waziri passed directions to constitute a transition committee by August 23 and hold its first meeting on August 24.
"The committee is constituted to ensure Archery Association of India (AAI) once again enjoys good standing with World Archery Federation (WAF) so that our archers are permitted to represent India under Indian flag in the forthcoming qualifying tournaments & Tokyo Olympics," Rahul Mehra tweeted.
An AAI official said the committee will be constituted to oversee the day-to-day affairs of Indian Archery which was suspended by the world body on Thursday for defying its guidelines by electing two parallel bodies.
"This committee will not take a call about fresh election procedures but will run the show till a new body comes to power. We are expecting to hear about fresh election procedures in the next hearing slated for August 16," he said.
The last event in which the archers can participate under the Indian flag is the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid from August 19-25.
After which the Indian archers' participation in international events under the National Flag stands jeopardised unless a resolution is made.
Munda's entire panel won the much-delayed elections by comfortable margins and were elected to full four-year terms. 26 out of 31 state associations cast their votes with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir being excluded from the electoral college.
Captain Abhimanyu Sindhu was elected senior vice-president while Pramod Chandurkar became the secretary general, beating Maha Singh 31-21. Rajendar Singh Tomar was elected treasurer, beating Samikhya Nanda Das 34-18.
In a statement, Munda said that reversing the AAI's suspension by World Archery will be one of the top priorities of the association. "Lifting ban of the World Archery, restoring the recognition status of the Association with the Ministry of Sports, setting up more archery academies, streamlining the activities of the Association, generating funds through sponsorships etc are in our priority list," Munda said.
"Securing full quota places in women category for Tokyo Olympics, preparing Indian team for Olympics, international events and providing all necessary facilities are our priorities," he said.
(IANS)
The AAI had been suspended since August 5, 2019, with Indian athletes only allowed to compete under a neutral flag at events that directly affected their qualification chances for the Olympics.
With the uplifting of the suspension, Indian archers will henceforth be allowed to compete in World Archery events under the national flag.
Union minister Arjun Munda was on January 18 elected president of the AAI after the much-delayed elections were held in the presence of three observers, including one from World Archery. Munda defeated BVP Rao by a margin of 34-18.
Munda's entire panel won by comfortable margins and were elected to full four-year terms. 26 out of 31 state associations cast their votes with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir being excluded from the electoral college.
Captain Abhimanyu Sindhu was elected senior vice-president while Pramod Chandurkar became the secretary general, beating Maha Singh 31-21. Rajendar Singh Tomar was elected treasurer, beating Samikhya Nanda Das 34-18.
The AAI has been instructed by the world body to update its constitution to clarify athlete membership, develop a strategic plan and resolve other governance issues.
A progress report is required from the AAI every three months, the world body said.
World Archery secretary general Tom Dielen said: "We hope this is the start of a well-governed association in India and will help, where necessary, to develop the strategy that will accomplish this."
"Indian athletes can now focus on getting ready for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, which is now just six months away."
The next international tournament is the Indoor World Series in Las Vegas in three weeks' time.
India currently has three men's and one women's quota place at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
(IANS)