AGRA: In its bid to curb age-fudging, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday decided to suspend the secretary of a state association if more than two athletes of that unit are found to be over-aged in a national event. The decision to hold the top office-bearer responsible for the age-fraud was taken at the AFI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Agra. “In a year, if more than two athletes are found to be over-aged in a national event, then the secretary of that state association will be suspended for one year,” AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said.
AFI Planning Commission Chairman Lalit Bhanot said the constitution of the national federation will be amended to this effect. Earlier, the state team concerned and the offending athletes were used to be banned from national competitions for two years for the age fraud.
The AFI, in its manual released during the meeting, also included various ways to be followed by the state units to deal with the menace, including protocols like specifics of the radiology test and procedure of the age verification. Bhanot said that the process to issue a Unique Identification Number with biometrics to all the athletes registered with the AFI has already been started.
India’s lone World Championships medallist long jumper Anju Bobby George, who also attended the AGM, said the issue of fielding over-age athletes has been a problem with most of the states.The AGM also discussed the issue of doping. “The AFI has been the first NSF to advocate doping being made a criminal offence.
As an IAAF Council Member, I know the issue of the Russian federation being banned due to large scale doping. If doping in India also continues like this, the country may also be banned in future,” he said. “But it should be made clear that the large (doping) numbers are mainly due to doping at district and state levels and at the departmental events. States must get involved in curbing doping.”