KOCHI: The high-handedness of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) came to light after the Kerala High Court on Monday pulled up the AFI for including athlete Sudha Singh in the Indian team for the IAAF World Championships, despite the July 24 cut-off date for submitting the entry list having elapsed.
An open letter released by AFI president Adille J Sumariwalla on July 26 clearly stated Sudha Singh was excluded from the team as she had not participated in the inter-state championship held in Guntur following Asian Athletics Championships 2017.
It was mandatory for the athletes to compete and get at least close to the qualification mark for being considered for selection. However, the list published by IAAF has Sudha’s name in it.
“How come an athlete, whose name was not in the entry list,be included in IAAF list,” the court asked after noticing the list.
The court directed the AFI to file an affidavit in this regard on Tuesday. The court made it clear if the secretary and president of AFI or the chairman of the selection committee are not available in India, a responsible person should file the affidavit.
The court issued the order on a petition filed by P U Chitra seeking to initiate contempt case against AFI secretary C K Valson, selection committee chairman G S Randhawa and president Adille J Sumariwalla for not complying with the High Court order. The court had earlier directed the AFI to ensure Chitra’s participation in the event.
The petition said the AFI had written a simple letter to the IAAF pointing out the Kerala HC has passed an interim order. There was no request to include her in the Indian team. The secretary and the selection committee chairman, who are now in London, have to convey the IAAF they were responsible for non inclusion of Chitra, despite being qualified. They should convince the IAAF if the petitioner was not allowed to participate, there was a chance of contempt of court proceedings against them.
According to Chitra, the IAAF rejected the request stating its guidelines do not permit the inclusion of an athlete after July 27. Athletes were included in the event even after the deadline, the plea stated. The court replied it will be examined if the AFI did any thing deliberately to exclude the petitioner.
The petition also said AFI’s action amounted to deliberate disobedience of the High Court order.
Centre’s stance
Meanwhile, the court sought the stance of the Central Government in the case. Counsel for the Centre submitted it had no role in the selection of athletes. To this, the court said the government should maintain a control over the AFI at least to ensure transparency in the selection of athletes.
KSU activists ‘rename’P T Usha Road
Kochi: Protesting against the exclusion of athlete P U Chitra from the Indian team for the World Athletics Meet, KSU Maharaja’s College unit on Monday symbolically renamed P T Usha Road after P U Chitra against Usha’s alleged role in Chitra’s omission. P T Usha Road near Maharaja’s College Stadium connects Mullassery Canal Road to Hospital Road. KSU activists, including girls, who took out a march from Maharaja’s College, painted the sign board black and placed a new board there with Chitra’s name. KSU state vice-president Sneha R V inaugurated the protest.