Athletics body to penalise state unit for over-aged players

Agra: In a first, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Friday decided to suspend the secretary of a state association if more than two athletes of that unit are found to be over-aged in a national event.
The decision to fix responsibility of the age-fudging menace, which has afflicted athletics for so many years, to the top office bearer of a state was taken at the AFI’s Annual General Body Meeting here. Earlier, the state team concerned and the offending athletes were banned from national competitions for two years when over-aged athletes were fielded by the unit, but age fudging has not stopped or decreased over the years.
“In a year, if more than two athletes are found over-aged in a national event, then the secretary of that state association will be suspended for one year,” AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said during the AGM.
AFI Planning Commission Chairman Lalit Bhanot said the constitution of the national federation will be amended to this effect. The AFI also included the various ways to be followed by the state associations on how to deal with the menace, including the protocols like the specifics of the radilology test and procedure of the age verification, in a manual released during the meeting.
Last year, a total of 115 athletes were found to be over-aged in National Youth and Junior Championships combined.
Uttar Pradesh was the worst offender with more than 30 over-aged athletes during last year. Bhanot said that the process to issue a Unique Identifiaction Number with biometrics to all the athletes registered with the AFI has already started. The AGM also discussed the issue of doping, another menace which has been afflicting athletics. (PTI)