AFI president Adille Sumariwalla Raises Concern Over Performance of Indian track and field Athletes at Paris Olympics 2024

AFI President Adille Sumariwalla was not entirely happy with Indian track and field athlete's performance at the Paris Olympics, expressing concern over the sharp decline in form during the Games.

"There was a sudden decline in the performance of the athletes in Paris. The athletes should have clocked a personal best or advanced to the final of their respective events," Sumariwalla remarked during a media interaction in Chennai.

While javelin star Neeraj Chopra once again emerged as the saving grace, winning a silver medal in the men's javelin throw, it was still a downgrade from his historic gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Chopra's medal aside, the rest of the Indian contingent struggled.

The men's 4x400m relay team narrowly missed qualifying for the final by microseconds, while the women's 4x400m relay team delivered a disappointing performance, failing to leave any mark on the competition.

Several of India's current national champions, expected to make an impact, also faltered. Annu Rani (women's javelin), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put), Praveen Chithravel (triple jump), Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles), Jeswin Aldrin (long jump), and Parul Chaudhary (3,000m steeplechase) all failed to qualify for the finals, falling far short of their qualification marks. Avinash Sable, the men's 3,000m steeplechase national record holder, was the only other Indian to reach a final, finishing 11th in his event.

In response to these results, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is preparing to overhaul the domestic competition and qualification systems starting in 2025. Sumariwalla, speaking at the South Asian Junior Athletics Championship, outlined plans to restructure the qualification process for major international events, ensuring athletes compete in a specific number of domestic competitions to accumulate points. "A steady performance will be a big advantage to get a nod from the AFI selection panel," he said, emphasizing the need for consistency.

Additionally, the AFI will decentralise national training camps, with athletes training at regional centers or locations of their choice. Sumariwalla expects around 1,000 athletes to train across various centers next season.

Sumariwalla reiterated the AFI's commitment to its "no needle" policy, working with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to combat doping and ensure clean performances from Indian athletes. The sweeping changes aim to rebuild Indian athletics and improve the nation's competitiveness on the global stage.