Adille J Sumariwalla, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) President, has said the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) recognition of AFI as the best National Federation on the continent is due to the work of the entire athletics community.
“It is the result of team work, and we believe that it belongs to the dynamic New India,” said Dr Sumariwalla, an Olympian himself, to RevSportz. “This would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of our talented athletes, coaches, support staff, my colleagues in the executive committee and the office staff. We have been encouraged by the Government of India to reach new heights and supported by our partners in realising our vision.”
The AFI President said he found it gratifying that its work over the past so many years to develop the sport in our country and in the region has found recognition from AAA. “However, my colleagues and I will take this as encouragement to sustain our efforts and infuse more energy to make Athletics the most-loved sport in the region,” he said.
Dr Sumariwalla pointed out that AAA particularly acknowledged AFI’s relentless effort to keep the athletics community together during the Covid-19 pandemic that devastated not only sport, but also the world at large. “It was not easy, but AFI used the benefits of technology to help coaches and technical officials upgrade themselves even during the pandemic,” he said.
It was important for AFI not to focus only on keeping India’s elite athletes well prepared for competitions like the Tokyo Olympic Games – where Neeraj Chopra, the javelin thrower, won a dream gold medal – the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, but also to ensure that coaches and technical officials in the South Asian region benefit from the knowledge sharing, he said.
“In fact, no less that the World Athletics President Lord Sebastian Coe acknowledged the importance of what AFI has done in terms of using the video conferencing facility to engage coaches and Technical Officials,” said Dr Sumariwalla. “Each time Lord Coe joined our online seminars, he made it a point to highlight how AFI had taken the lead.”
Viewed from a domestic perspective, AFI conducts more than 20 national-level competitions each year for its athletes across all age groups. “Our flagship event, the National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM) is easily the largest grassroots talent-search programme, touching the lives of at least a lakh boys and girls in the U14 and U16 age groups,” said the AFI President.
Dr Sumariwalla said AFI is not surprised that this meet has aroused interest beyond the borders.
“A brainchild of our visionary Planning Committee Chairman Dr Lalit K Bhanot, NIDJAM has been the stepping stone for a number of athletes, including Neeraj Chopra, who have gone on to represent the country in Asian and World meets,” he said.
The AFI President reiterated that his Federation, aware that the development of the sport is a continuous process, has already started revisiting its junior development programme with a sharp focus on ensuring that the youngsters do not suffer because of the twin threats – early specialisation and over-training. “We are plotting ways to ensure young talent does not face a burn out,” he said.
“We are not resting on our oars. We know we cannot afford to slacken our efforts to make Athletics a most-loved sport in our country. And we are confident that we are embracing the right pathway. My colleagues and I are delighted that AAA picked AFI for the award, and while we will celebrate the recognition, we will continue to develop the sport at all levels.”
Dr Sumariwalla also highlighted the anti-doping education programme the AFI conducts with the National Anti-Doping Agency. “Our effort is to drive home the message that dope cheats will be caught, sooner than later, besides the impact on the athletes’ long-term health,” he said. “We are disappointed every time an athlete tests positive but that only strengthens our resolve.”