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CWG refuses Shankar entry, IOA no to increase quota places
No representation in the men's high jump despite Shankar meeting the qualifying mark at NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The working committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) has rejected Tejaswin Shankar’s entry to India’s CWG squad, one day after the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) told Delhi High Court that it has included the 24-year-old.
"Tejaswin Shankar's entry has been turned down by the committee. The Commonwealth Games Federation constitution allows for only like-for-like replacements, which means if India were to replace a high-jumper with Tejaswin that would have been alright. But since Tejaswin was being replaced by a 4X400m runner (Rajiv Arokia), it was not allowed," said Indian Olympics Association (IOA) secretary-general Rajiv Mehta.
IOA was informed of the decision on Wednesday. India, thus, will have no representation in the men's high jump despite Shankar meeting the qualifying mark (2.27m) at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last month.
The IOA has also refused to increase athletics’ quota ending the hopes of marathoners Bugatha Srinu and Anish Thapa, heptathlete Swapna Barman and 4x100m women's relay member MV Jilna.
"The quota places are fixed by the CGF and cannot be increased," said Mehta.
But AFI president Adille Sumariwalla indicated that the door is still not completely shut on Shankar. "We are still trying. We have mobilised all our resources and trying our best to get his name accepted," he said.
"It's not as if such late inclusions cannot happen at all. His name was there in the initial longlist, and we'll try our best to make it happen."
As things stand now, India will field a 36-member athletics squad in Birmingham, having dropped 4x400m runner Rajiv Arokia on form and fitness on Wednesday.
"Rajiv Arokia is completely out of the picture. He is not fit and has informed us that he will not participate in the second selection trial (for World Championships) on Friday. The squad will thus comprise of 36 athletes," an IOA official said.
AFI had announced a 37-member squad on June 16, and the exclusion of national record holder Shankar and long jumper Jeswin Aldrin had raised multiple questions. A week later, Shankar filed a writ in the Delhi High Court, and on Wednesday, AFI informed the court about Shankar's belated inclusion. The deadline to send squads to CGF had passed on June 29 and Shankar's inclusion had hinged on the committee's approval.
