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The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday left a few Tokyo Olympic-bound athletes stunned by scheduling “fitness” trials at the SAI South Center in Bengaluru. The decision has left the athletes infuriated. Incidentally, while the AFI has decided to hold the trials, they have not yet informed what parameters the shortlisted athletes will be judged on.
“I don’t know what is the point of having the trials so close to the Tokyo Olympics. I just received a call from AFI informing that I have fitness trials. That’s all. I don’t even know what all will they check,” one of the athletes on condition of anonymity told Sportskeeda.
AFI President Adille Sumariwalla, though, has justified the decision. He said it is not a qualification trial. Instead it is to check whether they are fit for the games. This is what the AFI President said in an exclusive chat with Sportskeeda:
“It is not any qualification trial. They just have to prove their fitness. We cannot take unfit athletes to an event like Olympics."
Also Read: Complete list of Indian athletes qualified for Tokyo Olympics 2020
The AFI president reveals what the Tokyo Olympics trials will be about
The AFI think-tank has decided to test 20km race-walkers KT Irfan and Bhawna Jat and long jump national record holder Murali Sreeshankar.
The trials for Tokyo Olympics will be held under the supervision of AFI’s senior vice-president Anju Bobby George.
The trials for Irfan and Bhawna will be held on Friday, while Sreeshankar will give his litmus test on July 21.
Irfan was the first Indian athlete to punch his Tokyo Olympics ticket in March 2019 at the 2019 Asian Championships in Nomi, Japan. Bhawna, on the other hand, made the Tokyo grade at the 2020 Nationals in Ranchi.
Sumariwalla said the decision to put Bhawna and Irfan through these trials is because they have not competed in a long time. Sreeshankar's inclusion in the trial list is because his fitness was an issue at the inter-state meet.
“They (Bhawna and Irfan) qualified long back. So, we need to test their fitness. As for Sreeshankar, he did not appear at the inter-state meet due to stiffness in legs. We need to be sure our athletes our fit,” he said.
The racewalkers will have to clear the 10km test within the stipulated time to confirm their selection. In case one misses out on the mark, there will be a committee to take a final call.
“We will follow due process. It will be very basic. If still one fails, and the supervisor think a discussion has to be done, we will quickly setup a committee and take the final call,” said AFI President Sumariwalla.
One of the athlete, though, is not happy with the trials.
“It just added pressure for us. But no worries. I will prove my worth once again,” another athlete anonymously said.
While the trials of Irfan and Bhawan are not shocking, the decision to test Sreeshankar has raised eyebrows.
The Kerala long jumper set a new national record in March at the Indian Grand Prix in Patiala. He leapt an impressive 8.26m, which was the fourth best jump at that time this year. It is now at 12th.
READ: How Shekhar Kumar Pandey pole-vaulted from a small farm in Mirzapur to a gold medal at nationals
