The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the Ghanaian national committee on Thursday after the government failed to take agreed steps to ensure no political interference in the body.

Ghana thus becames the second country to be banned following Kuwait last year, after efforts to ensure the Ghanaian Olympic Committee was protected from domestic political involvement failed.

"They are now suspended," an official told Reuters during an IOC Executive Board meeting.

An official announcement is expected later in the day.

Kuwait was suspended on January 1, 2010 for political interference.