Age-fudging hits athletics nationals
NEWDELHI: More than 100 athletes, a majority of them from Uttar Pradesh, were found overage in the 34th Junior National Athletics Championships held in Ranchi from November 2-4. The season-ending competition was held in the U-14, U-16, U-18 and U-20 categories in both boys’ and girls’ sections.
As many as 45 athletes from Uttar Pradesh were suspended by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) medical panel. Rajiv Khattri, a panel official, said a report had been submitted to the AFI. “Almost all the barred athletes had submitted fudged age certificates. This time the screening was thorough,” said Khattri. “All the barred athletes were reluctant to sign mandatory medical form for thorough screening.”
Besides Uttar Pradesh, athletes from Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Bihar were also suspended. The list of barred athletes could have been higher had Haryana not dropped some 20-odd overage athletes during the state trials. “We are trying to cleanse the system,” said Khattri, who hails from Haryana.
“After doping, overage has become a major concern. The screening process will have more impact if state units also support the movement,” said an AFI official on condition of anonymity.
Uttar Pradesh Athletics Association (UPAA) secretary, PK Srivastava, hit out at the AFI medical panel saying, “There is a deliberate move to malign my image. Proper screening wasn’t done. Because of this, my state could not bag the team title. We generally have good results. But this time we missed.”
Khattri, however, said proper screening process was followed.
TOP ATHLETES IN DOCK
Top Indian athletes, including Haryana quarter-miler Nirmala Sheoran, are on the radar of the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), an International Association of Athletics Federations body responsible for dope testing. According to an AFI official, Sheoran was subjected to out-of-competition testing in October.
“Her blood and urine samples were collected in Delhi and the analysis will be done at a foreignaccredited lab.”
Last year in November, AIU had collected urine samples of javelin thrower Davinder Singh Kang. Kang failed out-of-competition test and faces a four-year suspension.