NEW DELHI: Sports India is yet to clear the participation of Indian gymnasts such as Dipa Karmakar for the upcoming World Cups in Baku and Doha this month, which will serve as qualification events for the Tokyo 2020 Games, Press Trust of India reports.
The Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) VP Riyaz Bhati claims that Sports India’s delay is partly due to the fact that it wishes to send its project manager Rajinder Pathania with the Indian contingent, instead of him.
Bhati was quoted as saying to the newswire: “GFI has fulfilled its responsibilities concerning registration in a fair and timely manner and have informed all concerned. However, there is a lack of clarity from the Sports Authority of India and the sanction has still not been released with just 10 days remaining for departure for World Cup in Baku.
“As the vice president of Gymnastics Federation of India, I have been registered as head of delegation for both the World Cups. I personally called up Mr Rajinder Pathania to check the status and he informed that an official from SAI, preferably himself, should be registered to enable him to get the file cleared.
“I informed him that the federation will do the needful provided we have a formal communication from SAI.”
GFI general secretary Ranjeet Vasava said in a media release that the federation have ‘confirmed the registration to the gymnasts individually as well as collectively to the Sports Authority of India with a request to provide financial support to the gymnasts. We hope that SAI would provide the needful assistance to the gymnasts.’
However, Sports India has de-recognised in GFI since 2012 for not following the National Sports Code 2011. The NSF’s troubles were highlighted last year when infighting between its two factions denied players participation in the Junior Asian Championships in Jakarta.
Gymnasts Mohd Bobby and Gaurav Kumar had filed a petition in the Delhi High Court in April 2018 for not being selected for the Commonwealth Games 2018 by the GFI, despite having a higher national ranking and scoring maximum points in selection trials.
To make matters worse, Sports India hadn’t permitted players to take part in the 2018 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Doha either. Although the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has tried to mediate for the SAI and GFI, it seems that it hasn’t succeeded so far.
A gymnast has to participate in at least three of the eight World Cups played, to be eligible for Olympic Qualifications. At the end of the series in Doha in March 2020, one gymnast on each apparatus with the most number points (from the best-of-3 performances) will qualify for the Tokyo Games.
