AFI’s big push: Decentralisation of camps
CHENNAI: The new-look Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will have a new policy in place — de-centralisation of National Camps. This, according to the body, would encourage inclusivity and they would have wider pool of players to choose from. This is something new and AFI could be one of the first, if not the first, bodies in India to implement this kind of training.
This was announced on the concluding day of the AFI’s annual general meeting in Chandigarh on Wednesday. Former AFI president Adille Sumariwalla, who has assumed the position of spokesperson, was addressing the media with newly-elected president Bahadur Singh Sagoo and secretary Sandeep Mehta by his side.
Though there were other aspects that were touched upon, the decentralisation of the coaching camps dominated the discussion. This also means that the 23 NCOEs that have been established at a cost to the government would also be utilized. However, challenges like monitoring and doping control across the country will remain.
The AFI felt that this would also help spread the sport to various parts of the country and also give an opportunity to the athletes to stay closer home and train. “They don’t need to adjust to the climate or food,” he said.
As regards the much-talked about 4x400 relay teams, the out-going president said that there will be changes but the entire team is not being disbanded. “We will be changing some athletes, not disbanding of anything,” he said.
AFI will be identifying and including fresh talent. Sumariwalla also said that the 400m men, women and mixed teams will be training as a team and no outsider will be allowed to compete if they join one camp as a team.
“The rest of them... we have given them liberty to train at their centres. For example, Army athletes can train at their centres, the Reliance or JSW athletes can train at their centre, Tamil Nadu and Odisha have got foreign coaches if they want to train at their centre they can,” he said.
“We are not forcing anybody to come and join a national camp,” he said. “If they join they will be part of the team.”
As for decentralising the camps, Sumariwalla said that they have come out with a booklet that speaks about everything. “Whys and hows. What will be the domestic competition and how before an international competition they have to come to the national camp in the last eight weeks. All these have been laid out and people are free to train anywhere.”
Sumariwalla also said that apart from the 400m relay teams, there is no one camp for other athletes.
“There is no camp for throwers or middle and long-distance runners,” he said adding that the 400m runners will be at a government-run National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Thirvananthapuram where they will train.
“That is because they will also be running men’s, women’s and mixed 4 x 400m,” he said.
The idea, according to AFI, is to have all the runners at one centre because they would be running as a team.
“They will training under foreign coaches; the men’s and women’s teams have different coaches but both are from Jamaica. There will be Indian coaches too. For the rest, the foreign coaches will be at different centres. If we have a foreign coach in Patiala for throws and the athletes want to train in Patiala then they will go to Patiala. If middle and long distance coach in Bengaluru then they will train with the coach.”
The AFI said that athletes will be picked because of their performances. The AFI will look into the results in different competitions across age-group tournaments and will be invited to join the NCOE.
“If they join, it’s fine. If they don’t, it’s their choice but they cannot be part of the 4x400m relay teams,” he said.
As far as monitoring is concerned, the AFI felt it would be tough but some kind of mechanism has been put in place. They have set up a whole monitoring system.
Another aspect the AFI would emphasise upon is dope control. Sumariwalla said that the monitoring committee will take care that. “All athletes will be monitored,” he said.
“We will make a list of athletes training at various centres, including NCOEs and private foundations and give it to the National Anti-Doping Agency.”
Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp
Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest
Copyright - newindianexpress.com 2024. All rights reserved.
Comments
0 comment