Inter-state Athletics Championships: AFI president Sumariwalla defends hosting event amid heat wave

AFI president said India had bid for next year’s World under-20 athletics championships after Peru, the original host, backed out.
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Even though the selection committee will pick athletes for the Asian Games, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is keeping a close watch on the athletes returning exceptional performances over a short span of time and those who are not regulars at the National camp.

The AFI is “careful” about the sudden burst of eye-catching results by some athletes at the ongoing National inter-state athletics championships at the Kalinga Stadium here.

“Keeping in mind the Asian Games, we have asked the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to be more vigilant, especially (about) those who are not in the national camp,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said.

The AFI president, who will officiate at the selection committee meeting following the resignation of the panel’s chairman G.S. Randhawa, said athletes for the Hangzhou Games would be chosen strictly on the basis of the selection criteria.

Citing several venues worldwide which have hosted elite athletics meets in high temperatures and National camps held at Patiala and Thiruvananthapuram, Sumariwalla played down concerns relating to the hot and humid conditions here and highlighted the fine showing of some athletes, particularly the 1500m women runners.

“We had to change the dates because the Asian Games changed the dates. Normally the last date of entries is 15 days before (the competition), but it’s 45 days before (sic) for the Asian championships and 75 days before (for the Asian Games), which is never heard of. It’s ridiculous!

“The Asian countries have their final trials now, whether it’s Saudi Arabia or Kuwait or the UAE…If the athletes don’t get accustomed to these conditions, how will they perform in the Asian championships in Bangkok in July?”

Sumariwalla informed that India had bid for next year’s World under-20 athletics championships after Peru, the original host, backed out. “If Peru comes back, then they will go ahead with it. That decision will be taken in August.”

He said if the event comes to India, Bhopal, which hosted the shooting World Cup at its new infrastructure, would be the venue.

Stressing grassroots development, Sumariwalla said 900-plus children, who were picked from the National inter-district athletic meet at Patna this year, would be put through a series of tests to ensure that they don’t specialize in one discipline and over-train from a very young age.

The AFI chief said the federation has appointed N. Ramesh as the chief coach of juniors and is looking for a high performance director for junior and youth athletes.