Neeraj Chopra will take part in Fed Cup instead of Inter-State Championships. Image: Instagram© Copyright (C) https://firstpost.com. All Rights Reserved.
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The only exception to this rule will be reigning Olympic and world champion, Neeraj Chopra. However, the golden boy of Indian athletics hasn’t been given a free pass. Due to his inability to participate in the Inter-State Athletics Championships, which takes place at Panchkula from 27 to 30 June, the 26-year-old will be participating in the Federation Cup on 15 May at Bhubaneshwar.
This will be the first time since the 2021 Federation Cup that Neeraj will be taking part in a domestic competition.
“We have made it very clear that every athlete will compete in India at the Inter-State Championships,” said AFI president Adille Sumariwalla during a Federation Cup press conference on Tuesday. “But Paris Diamond League is clashing with the Inter-State Championships and we feel that Paris Diamond League will be very important for him (Neeraj) before the Olympic games therefore he is the only guy who has been given special permission to participate in the Federation Cup.
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“Otherwise, every athlete has to participate in the Inter-State Championships, this has been made clear from day one.”
The Federation Cup also becomes important for India and AFI from the point of view that it will be the last opportunity for Indian athletes to qualify for the Olympic Games.
AFI is hoping to send 35 track-and-field athletes to Paris for the Olympic Games, nine more than in Tokyo 2020, to win “more than one medal” than the last Games.
“Already, 20 have qualified including the two relays and 11 athletes are within qualification slots according to World Athletics rankings. We are hoping that they (the 11) remained there and some more also qualify when the qualification window closes (on June 30),” Sumari Walla shared. “We are expecting to have at least 35 track and field athletes in the Paris Olympics.”
Indian men’s team suffered injury problems in the Bahamas with Rajesh Ramesh pulling out on the first day before injured Arokia Rajiv helped the nation complete the task.
Muhammed Ajmal and Amoj Jacob from the men’s team and MR Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan from the women’s team are taking part in the 400m event at the Federation, which could lead to further injury problems considering the lack of time to rest and recover.
The AFI chief, however, feels the athletes need more competition and not rest.
“It is not for me or (chief coach) Radhakrishnan (Nair) to decide. This is for the relay coaches to decide and the coaches believe that both the men’s and women’s relay teams members need more competition and they must run and that’s why they are running here.”
“Injury can happen anywhere. Injury can happen in training and competition. Injury can happen in sleep. You can get a cramp. Athletes have got injured in sleep also. The coach takes the decision in consultation with the doctor. The doctor is here. The physio is here. The masseuse is here. We leave it to them. The federation doesn’t decide this,” he added.
The Paris Olympics will take place from 26 July to 11 August.
