Action against athletes skipping camps: AFI

Kochi, Mar 7 (UNI) Athletic Federation of India (AFI) Secretary Lalit Bhanot today said the Federation would initiate action against athletes, who skip national athletics camps and championships.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Bhanot said ''the recent AGM of the Federation had decided to take action against erring athletes with a suspension of upto one year following reports from coaches and other officials that athletes were skipping camps and meets in the country.'' He said the Federation took the decision to make sure that the athletes got the maximum exposure in competing in almost 30 championships organised by the AFI.

The Federation had also constituted a three-member committee, which would give the report in three months, to look into the ways and means to make the athletic championships more attractive and commercially viable, Mr Bhanot said.

It was also planning to organise an Asian All-Star Meet at Bhopal in September.

In its effort to give a boost to athletics in the country, the AFI would chalk out policies to increase the participation in the National Inter-District Championship, which in the last four years were held in Haridwar.

Mr Bhanot said there was no dearth of sporting infrastructure in the country and Kerala was in the forefront with new synthetic tracks coming up in the State.

The secretary also expressed satisfaction over the preparations for the South Asian Athletics Championship, which began today.

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