Will AFI start running masters track in India?
An otherwise
dull story out of India suggests that the country’s version of USATF is seizing control of masters track from several rival organizing bodies. Over the years,
I’ve written about the masters dysfunction in that country of 1.3 billion. At least two groups claimed to be WMA affiliates —
MAFI and VAFI. MAFI had official status but used its power to keep Indian athletes competing in VAFI nationals from entering worlds. (WMA had to step in to sort things out.) Now we learn from Indian Express that the executive council of the
Athletics Federation of India has “agreed to conduct future Masters Athletics events under the banner of AFI.” The official
AFI site adds: “
Madhukant Pathak, President Jharkhand Athletics Association, will head the committee that will look after the Masters Athletics events in India.” What does this mean? Will AFI run masters nationals? Will WMA have to decide again who’s in charge? Stay tuned.
(See answers below.)
One Response
Wednesday afternoon, the chairman of AFI’s Masters Athletics Committee responded to my queries.
Madhu Kant Pathak, the chairman, wrote:
Yes we know the different groups in Masters Athletics. You are also aware that all athletics activities comes under the purview of IAAF and in entire world only 60 odd countries has separate Masters Body and others are under direct control of their National Federation.
AFI has been receiving many complaints about money minting through events, in systematic event organisation, age fraud, athlete swapping, etc, [which] ruins the image of athletics in India.
Yes, we will draw the Annual National Calendar and AFI will organise the event systematically.
We are in the process.
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