Code of conduct for Indian athletics

A code of conduct for state associations, athletes, coaches and units affiliated to the Amateur Athletic Federation of India came into effect after it was approved by the AAFI annual general meeting in Bangalore on Monday.

Briefing reporters after the AGM, AAFI secretary Lalit K Bhanot said the code made it mandatory for all stakeholders in the development of athletics to follow certain guidelines and rules, failing which they would be liable for punishment, disaffiliation and disqualification.

"It was also decided to send an Indian athletics team to next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester, after having failed to do so in three previous editions," Bhanot said.

He said the report of the Tandon committee, which looked into the poor performance of the Indian athletics team in the Sydney Olympics, was approved and ratified by the AGM, which was chaired by AAFI vice-president A K Banerjee in the absence of AAFI president Suresh Kalmadi, who is away in Africa.

The committee, among other things, recommended 'bigger exposure' for athletes, Bhanot informed.

There was no unanimity in the AGM on ratification of some of the records put on hold since the last season, as some members raised 'some ambiguity'. A 'small committee' had been formed to look into it and it would submit the report in a day or two, he said.

The records that are yet to be ratified are the men's shot put, women's 100 metres and women's 200 metres.

Bhanot said the AGM approved the AAFI competition calendar for the year 2002-03, adding that a separate team would be fielded for the Asian Track and Field championships.

Under the code of conduct approved by the AGM on Monday, the AAFI is 'responsible for some kind of action' and would be liable for punishment if it does not carry out its designated tasks.

The AAFI executive committee could take action against a body in such an event, but it would have to be ratified by the AGM, Bhanot said.

"The aim of the code is to streamline the system and make everybody accountable to achieve a higher level of performance," he said.

State associations and affiliated units are required to send their teams to national championships, hold camps for juniors and have a chief coach at the state level. Those failing to abide by the guidelines face disaffiliation.

State associations would also face action if they send more than three overaged athletes for championships.

A seminar would be held for coaches in Bangalore on July 1-2 to familiarise them with the code and it's implementation at the state levels, Bhanot said.

The AAFI is also considering setting up a separate zone for the North-east, he added.