Indian Athletics – Annual General Meeting – AFI to introduce Indian Schools Athletics Championships

Meerut, April 13, 2014: The two-day Annual General Meeting of the Athletics Federation of India have concluded at Bravura Gold Resort, Meerut, on Sunday.  It was the first time the AGM of the federation held outside Delhi in recent times.

There were several important decisions taken during the General Body meeting after detailed deliberations.

New Meets:

The AFI will be launching the National Schools Athletics Championships and the National Inter-Collegiate Athletics Championships in 2015. Both the marquee events will aim to create a springboard for the budding talent and also provide them lucrative prize money and selection for National camps.

A few prominent broadcasters have contacted the AFI for the live telecast of the National Collegiate Athletics Championship.

Commenting on this development, AFI President Mr Adille J Sumariwalla told it will be the key to make athletics a mass sport.  The AFI is confident that the National Schools Athletics Championships and the National Inter-Collegiate Athletics Championships will attract the cream of talent in the country

The federation has decided to discontinue the national inter-zonal junior championships from next year. However, the zonal competitions (in south, north, east and west zones) will
continue for two more years it will be reviewed thereafter.

Affiliation:

In appreciation of their continuous effort in promoting athletics, Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) has been awarded full membership in the AFI.

National Records:

The AGM also ratified the national records created in 2012- 2013.
However the performance of 11.35 secs set by Merlin K. Joseph in women's 100m heats at the Open Nationals in Ranchi was not ratified following doubts over the recording of the above mark.

Coaches:

In a major boost to the development of junior athletes training programme,the AFI has appointed Dronacharya awardee J S Bhatia, who mentored the likes of the legendary PT Usha and Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh,as the Chief Coach of the Indian Junior Athletics Team. The federation also appointed Wazir Singh as the chief coach of the Indian Youth Athletics Team.

-/ AFI /-

AFI to introduce Indian Schools Athletics Championships

Meerut – 12 April 2014
It was decided to introduce the Indian Schools Athletics Championships from the next season. In the first day of Annual General Meeting of Athletics Federation of India here it was decided to add two more national level championships to the Indian athletics calendar from next year onwards for school and collegiate athletes.

The federation after detailed deliberations also decided to create a separate National Inter-Collegiate Athletics Championships in 2015.  "It will be on the lines of the popular NCAA championships of the United States" explained Adille J.  Sumariwalla, AFI President, during the General Body meeting on Saturday.

Following the creation of the above two championships it was decided to scrap the 25-year-old National Inter-Zonal championships from next year onwards.  However the Zonal championships will be retained for two more years, thereafter a final decision about its continuity may be taken, he added further.

-/ AFI /-

 

Indian Athletics