JOIN USAFI takes blame for fiasco in trials
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Saturday took the blame for the fiasco during the men’s 4x100M relay trials in Bengaluru but backed the selection of Manikanda Arumugam, who was fielded as a proxy runner, for the Wuhan Asian Athletics Championships.
“We admit there was a miscommunication and we could have handled the situation better but there was no malicious intent or impersonation behind it. Arumugam is in fine form and good at baton exchange, so he was selected,” AFI Chief Operating Officer Manish Kumar told reporters on Saturday.
“The coach’s decision is the best as he has to handle the individuals. He wanted Arumugam to run the last leg and he did well.”
The trials for the Asian Athletics Championships (June 3-7) on Wednesday saw Arumugam running the anchor masquerading as rookie Praveen Muthukumar before their bluff was called by the media.
However, when the final team was announced it was Arumugam whose name was sent and subsequently cleared for the championships while Muthukumar was dropped.
The AFI said it had requested the Sports Ministry on Friday to include Muthukumar as well in the squad to Wuhan as the seventh member of the relay team as it would widen the options for the Ukrainian sprinting coach Dmitry Vanyaikin. It is, however, learnt that clearance for Muthukumar would be unlikely from the SAI and the Ministry.
Arumugam would be able to join the team only by Wednesday once his visa-related work gets sorted.
Meanwhile, Pritam Singh, coach of shot-putter Inderjeet Singh, has been cleared to go with him to Wuhan.
Some of the 47- member Indian contingent (25 men and 22 women) are looking at the Wuhan meet to gauge their level of preparedness for the World Championships in August.
The Asian and World Championships would also provide the athletes with an opportunity to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. Deputy chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair, who would be heading the support staff in the absence of chief coach Bahadur Singh, expected his wards to return with at least four gold medals from Wuhan.
Nair conceded their preparation was hampered by the 2015 National Games but remained optimistic of a good performance. “We had won two gold medals in the last edition in Pune (17 medals in total), so we want to get at least two more this time. We have hopes from Poovamma, shot putter Inderjeet Singh and the women relay team,” he said.
Meanwhile, some of the athletes Tintu Luka, Ankit Sharma, Jisna Mathew and Lalita Babbar visited NADA for dope testing on Saturday, hours before departure.