The AIU had allowed two dope offenders to participate in the All India Inter-Universities meet in Chidambaram last month and AFI had to face the heat from IAAF, the world governing body for the sport, in this regard.

“We have decided to suspend AIU for three months pending an examination by a three-member committee and if found guilty of flouting rules it could be disaffiliated permanently,” AFI Secretary Lalit Bhanot said at a press conference after the AFI’s Annual General Meeting here.

AIU had allowed Jasmine Joseph, who had been banned for two years after a doping violation at the Guwahati National Games last year, to take part in the inter-university meet. Another athlete Bharat Reddy, who was put under provisional suspension on doping charges during last year’s inter-university meet in Bangalore, was also allowed to take part in the Chidambaram meet.

“Because of this, IAAF threatened action on us.  We sought explanation from them (AIU) not once but many times but they did not reply,” he said.

AFI has also decided not to select athletes, who do not take part in national meets, for international competitions and to suspend for one year athletes who do not turn up for national camps without valid reason.

Umrao Singh was elected AFI president succeeding Suresh Kalmadi.

Mangalore to host

Mangalore will host the Junior nationals as per AFI’s calendar.

Important events: First Indian Grand Prix: Feb 21, NIS, Patiala; Federation Cup National Senior Meet: Feb 26-29, Bhopal; World Athletics Day meet: May 1-10, Bangalore; Federation Cup National Junior Meet: May 22-24, Karim Nagar (AP); Second Indian Grand Prix: June 4, Coimbatore; National Inter-state Senior Meet: Chennai, June 9-12; South Zone Junior Meet: August 21-23, Tamil Nadu; National Inter-zonal Juniors: Sept 2-4, Ranchi; National Youth Meet: Sept 20-22, Pune; Third Indian Grand Prix III: Sept 25, Coimbatore; Open Nationals: Sept 29-Oct 1; Kochi; National Sprint and Relay Meet: Oct 9-10, Mumbai; National Endurance Meet: Oct 15-17, Jamshedpur; National Jumps and Combined Events: Oct 19-20, Bangalore; Inter-district Meet: Nov 5-7, Nasik; National Junior Meet: Nov 25-28, Mangalore; National Cross Country Meet: February 8, 2009, Bhilai.