'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Archery Association of India (AAI) has received the annual recognition from the sports ministry as a National Sports Federation (NSF) on Wednesday after serving an eight-year-long suspension. The ban was imposed after the federation failed to conduct elections as per the National Sports Development Code.
As per the ministry, the recognition will be valid for one year following the overdue AAI elections, which were held in January this year. Union minister Arjun Munda was elected as the president with a full majority.
Pramod Chandurkar and Rajendra Singh Tomar were appointed as the secretary-general and the treasurer respectively. They will hold office from 2020 till 2024 as approved per the sports ministry.
This will boost the archery fraternity with Tokyo Olympics around the corner: AAI president Arjun Munda
The ministry had withdrawn AAI's recognition on December 7th, 2012, following their failure to conduct the elections based on the National Sports Development Code.
The global governing body World Archery had suspended AAI last year as the latter defied the guidelines, with two parallel bodies compelling the Indian archers to participate under the World Archery flag. However, the suspension was lifted as the AAI elections took place in January.
Speaking on the matter, AAI president Arjun Munda expressed his gratitude towards the ministry for the recognition. Munda also claimed this was a boost for the Indian archery fraternity with the Tokyo Olympics around the corner.
"It is indeed my privilege to inform, as the president of the Archery Association of India, that AAI has been granted recognition by the Ministry of Sports. The Tokyo Olympics is around the corner and it is indeed a welcome move by the Ministry of Sports. It will certainly be a boost to the entire archery fraternity," he said in a statement.
Munda added this would be a new chapter in Indian archery as the team would be motivated ahead of their challenge from top archers around the world in the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
"It heralds the beginning of a new era for Indian archery. It will be a great source of encouragement for the Indian team to perform better at this crucial juncture. They are preparing to face the toughest challenges from the top archers in the world at the Tokyo Olympics," Munda said.
Currently, the selection trials under the observation of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) are taking place at the JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur till November 27th. The camp will see four men and women archers getting selected for the Tokyo Olympics preparatory national camp at ASI Pune.
