KOCHI: The Indian athletics team’s travel itinerary rarely evokes interest among the media and general public unless it’s for wrong reasons. The departure of the team to London for the upcoming World Athletics Championship was one such occasion. The Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) omission of three athletes — PU Chitra, Sudha Singh and Ajay Kumar Saroj — for varying reasons led to huge uproar.
With the judiciary ordering Chitra’s inclusion, the AFI had to relent, but it was quick to bemoan that the date of submitting entries is over.
However, a day later, when the IAAF published the list of entries they have received, Sudha’s name was there. It shouldn’t have been in the list, going by what the AFI has been saying. No entry could be submitted post July 23 and participation in the Guntur inter-state event was a must. AFI chief Adille Sumariwalla had written that Sudha’s name was omitted because she “did not participate in the inter-state meet following AAC 2017”. So, how come an athlete, whose name was removed from the list and who didn’t race in Guntur, get in?
Sudha felt her name was given much before. “It won’t be possible to do that after the deadline. So must have gone before,” she told Express from Dharamsala, her training base. Despite her name being there, Sudha’s participation in London is unsure. There are reports quoting deputy chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair as saying that “she is not taking part in the World Championships.” With Visa ready, Sudha felt she only needed to book a ticket to London. However, Kerala State Athletics Association officials felt Sudha’s entry went after the deadline. “If the entry had gone before July 23, then the AFI chief’s letter was misleading,” they said.
What if the entry went after the deadline? “That’s what we think happened. Everyone was made to believe that the entry can’t be submitted after July 23. So, that was a wrong contention from the part of AFI,” they alleged. A request to reveal the details of Sudha’s entry was not responded by AFI. With the Kerala High Court set to hear the case on Monday, there are enough hints that Chitra’ counsels would be harping on Sudha’s entry.
The 31-year-old Sudha felt her chance to partake in the event shouldn’t be blocked. “I am a senior athlete with two Olympics under my belt. Chitra has just arrived in the scene. So our selection should not be compared,” she argued. She also compared her case with that of Dutee Chand, who earned a berth for London despite finishing third in 100m in Bhubaneshwar. “What’s in her that I don’t have? I am more eligible than her. I am the Asian champ.”
Meanwhile, a few reports indicated that IAAF have rejected AFI’s request to include Chitra in the Indian squad for the Championships.
shan@newindianexpress.com