Overage scandal hits junior athletics

A serious overage scandal has come to mild the place about 240 athletes have been discovered to have manipulated their age to compete in final 12 months’s version of the National Inter-district Junior Athletics meet in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. One of the premier Athletics Federation of India (AFI) occasions, the intention of the match is to advertise monitor & area exercise on the grassroots by conducting the competitors in 12-14 and 15-16 age-group class in girls and boys part.

The AFI mentioned the scandal was unearthed as a result of the federation “had initiated the biometric card system for athletes”. AFI president, Adille Sumariwalla, mentioned, “Overage is one of the issues eroding talent at the grassroots. Doping and overtraining are the other two problems stopping juniors from graduating to the senior level.”

Of the 240 athletes discovered overage, 51 have been debarred after they reported on the venue. “Another 189 didn’t report at the medical centre for further screening,” mentioned Sumariwalla.

Earlier this 12 months, the AFI had carried out workshops in Kerala and Rajasthan on overage and doping, however as a result of outbreak of coronavirus, the federation is now conducting on-line periods. “The emphasis is on three issues—doping, overage and overtraining. Many promising juniors aren’t able to make an impression at the senior level because of wrong training. Doping and overage are the other two issues at the grassroots. That’s why we are making it mandatory to have dope tests at district-level meets.

According to Sumariwalla, transparency in the functioning of the state associations is also on the agenda. “During webinar sessions with states and district units, the emphasis is on transparency. We have asked district units to register themselves and open an account. Those districts who do not follow the criteria will be debarred.”

Two years in the past, Uttarakhand State Athletics fielded “fake district teams” in inter-district competitors. A state-level coach mentioned that of the 13 districts within the area, there are solely 3-Four that are energetic, however the state physique despatched entries for all districts.

Sumariwalla says sending “dummy teams” might be one the explanation why so many overage athletes are being caught. “Uttarakhand isn’t alone; many units in states like Maharashtra, among others, are sending dummy teams. This is why we have made it mandatory for observers to be present at all district competitions.”