This will be one of the best championships, says Sumariwalla, ahead of Junior National Athletics

Bhubaneswar, Oct 9 Chairman of the national selection committee of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Adille Sumariwalla has stated that the 40th National Junior Athletics Championships, scheduled from October 10 to 14 at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, will be among the best-organised national events in recent years, featuring world-class facilities and systems.

“Odisha Athletics Association has done an excellent job in preparing for the championships. Everything — from technical arrangements to accommodation — has been taken care of with great precision. This will be one of the best championships delivered so far,” said Sumariwalla, a former president of the AFI and currently one of the vice-presidents of World Athletics.

He also mentioned that AFI will carry out talent identification at the event to find promising young athletes, who will then be sent to centres of excellence for additional training and development.

“We have set up a system for biometric verification and medical checks to prevent impersonation and ensure fair participation. Doping control measures are also being implemented strictly, with NADA monitoring the entire event,” he said.

Sumariwalla highlighted that AFI is implementing best practices such as electronic timing and measurement systems, hydration and nutrition support, and holding coaches and state associations accountable to promote transparency and discipline in athletics development.

“We are not just organising a championship — we are setting benchmarks for fair play, athlete welfare, and technical excellence,” he added.

In January this year, the 2002 Asian Games men’s shot put champion, Bahadur Singh Sagoo, was elected unopposed as the new president of the federation during their Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Recently, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, an initiative designed to transform India's sporting landscape and empower citizens through sports.

This new policy replaces the National Sports Policy 2001 and provides a strategic and visionary plan to position India as a global leader in sports and a serious contender at international events, including the 2036 Olympic Games.

In a conversation with IANS, Sumariwalla, the vice president of World Athletics, discussed the policy in detail.

“The new policy is great. The five pillars they have put up for excellence, for sports science, for infrastructure, for social upliftment, and for the sports industry. I think it's a very good policy, a lot has changed since the sports policy was first created in 1985 and then modified in 2021,” he had said.

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