AFI revises qualification system for Indian athletics and national schedule

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) plans to restructure the national competition and qualification system for major international events from the 2025 season, President Adille Sumariwalla said on Wednesday. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the South Asian Athletics Junior Championship that began at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Sumariwalla said there are plans to restructure the qualification system for international events in the future to enable athletes to peak at the right time.

The AFI President also pointed out that the sudden drop in performance of Indian athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics was a cause for concern. “To qualify for major international events, athletes need to participate in a certain number of domestic competitions to earn valuable points,” Sumariwalla added.

“Consistent performance will be a big advantage in being recognized by the AFI selection committee.” The 2025 Asian Athletics Championships and the World Athletics Championships are two major events next year.

The AFI president said athletes were unable to maintain their performance after qualifying for the Paris Games. “The athletes’ performance in Paris suddenly dropped. The athletes should have achieved a personal best or reached the finals of their respective disciplines,” he added.

Sumariwalla, also one of the vice presidents of the track and field governing body World Athletics, said the focus will be on regional competitions from next calendar year. “Athletes will have more opportunities to compete close to home,” said the AFI president.

“The plan is to hold at least 30 national competitions from next season.” Due to the decentralization of national training camps, there will be no national preparation camps for international competitions, according to Sumariwalla. “The athletes will train in regional centers and at locations of their choice,” he said.

“We are expecting at least 1,000 athletes in various centers across the country.” The AFI president reiterated that the national athletics federation is pursuing a “no needle policy” and is working with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to stop the doping threat.

“The AFI is working with all stakeholders to curb the use of banned substances by competitors to enhance performance,” he said.