To the huge embarrassment for the nation, 18 Indian athletes were told to return home from the Asian Youth Games in Nanjing on Sunday. Actually, a fault in the technicalities led them to get disqualified as they were found to be overage. Precisely, they were supposed to be below 16 years of age. But majority of the athletes sent by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) exceeded the age limit.
According to the reports, a part of the 27-member athletics team already reached Nanjing when they were told to pack and fly back without competing. This incident left the squad in the crucial discipline severely drained out. To be frank, the Indian athletes are participating in the event as "Independent Olympic Athletes" since the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is under suspension.
This impediment has come to light just a couple of days after four Indian badminton players landed in Nanjing to discover that they had not even been inserted in their respective events. Certainly, they too will return home without participating in any of the Games.
According to the sources, AFI thought that the athletics in the Youth Games would pursue the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) rules according to which players born after 1996 were eligible. Later, the players were selected accordingly. However, the Games are being held as per the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rules. It is sure that the organizers must have sent the rules of the Games to every federation, but nobody cared to read them.
Amazingly, no one objected regarding their age when these names were sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) or the IOA. Moreover, the organizers did not reject their online applications and awarded them accreditation, just few days before disqualifying them. Notably, the athletics events are commencing on Monday.
SAI director general Jiji Thomson informed that the athletes had a selection trial in Thiruvanthapuram. After that, AFI selected the athletes for the event. It is totally AFI's responsibility, if such an incident has happened. Interestingly, secretary of Athletics Federation of India CK Valson was unavailable for comment.
It has come to light that the four badminton players from India, who were absent from the entry list, could be heading home too. The sources disclosed that the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) attempted to help the Indian players and even requested other competing countries to agree on a re-draw but it did not succeed. A source clarified that what they have come to know is that 8 of the participating countries agreed for a re-draw, but 3 others objected. Hence nothing happened. Badminton events commenced on Saturday.
