Minister of Youth and Sports Clement Kofi Humado told The Associated Press that Ghana was now sure it would take part in the Olympics after the passing of a new sports law, one of the prerequisites laid down by the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC suspended Ghana in January because of government interference in the Ghana Olympic Committee. The penalty was lifted on Friday after a meeting of the IOC’s executive board in Daegu, South Korea.

The IOC said Ghana adopted new legislation that was “compatible with the Olympic Charter.”

But the near nine-month ban had dented the international image of the West African country, Humado said.

“The ministry is relieved by the lifting of the ban, since it opens the door of the Olympic movement once more to sports men and women in Ghana,” Humado said. “We are also certain that we will be admitted to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.”

Humado added Ghanaian sport had been stretched financially after the ban led to the withdrawal of assistance from the IOC. He said now that a new sports bill had been passed, elections for the GOC would be held within months.

The IOC suspended Ghana on Jan. 13 after the government apparently wanted to install Francis Dodoo, a former Olympic triple jumper, as head of the GOC. That was in breach of IOC rules that do not allow governments to interfere in national Olympic committees and their election processes.

Ghana has won four Olympic medals — a silver in boxing in 1960, bronzes in boxing in 1964 and 1972, and a bronze in men’s football in 1992. It sent about a dozen athletes to the 2008 Beijing Games.

It also participated in the Winter Olympics for the first time at Vancouver 2010, with skier Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong its only competitor.