AFI to push for extension of Snesarev's contract

Top AFI officials said Snesarev’s contract will be renewed till the 2012 London Olympics as he has produced results.

“We have more or less decided to ask the government to renew Nikolai’s contract till the London Olympics. But it is for the government to take a final decision,” the source said.

“We have a meeting with the officials of Sports Ministry and SAI in December 3 and a decision will be taken after that,” said the source.

Snesarev had expressed his desire to continue at his job, saying he wanted to prepare the  Indian athletes as medal prospects in the London Olympics.

India’s middle-distance runners performed beyond expectations by bagging two gold, two silver and one bronze at the Asian Games in Guanghzou.

Preeja Sreedharan won a gold in women’s 10,000m and silver in 5,000m races while Sudha Singh won another yellow metal in 3,000m steeple chase. Kavita Raut won a silver in 10,000m and a bronze in 5,000m.

Earlier in the day, Snesarev had expressed his unhappiness as AFI had offered him just a three-month extension. Snesarev said he had already received offers from six Asian countries. “An AFI official called me and said that they are planning to give me a three-month contract. But I don’t want that. It won’t do any good to me or the athletes. I can’t prepare the athletes for the London Olympics,” Snesarev said.  

He wants the AFI to decide quickly if they want to retain him till the 2012 Olympics. “I am yet to hear anything final from the AFI. Time is running out for me. If they are willing to extend my contract they have to sit down with me.

“But they are not showing any interest. I am going back to Belarus on December 5 and have to finalise the issue by then. I have to think about other offers as well,” Snesarev said.