The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) yesterday rejected the Athletics Federation of India's request to include PU Chitra in the Indian squad for the World Championships. The AFI had requested IAAF to consider Chitra's case after Sports Minister Vijay Goel asked the national federation to honour the Kerala High Court directive.

"We did what is within our powers. But the IAAF has rejected our request. We cannot do anything. That (rejection) was their discretion and they must have done it taking into account relevant rules," an AFI official told PTI. The Kerala High Court had directed the central government to ensure Chitra's participation at the London event. Chitra, who recently won a gold medal in the women's 1500m event at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar, filed the writ petition after she was excluded from the Indian squad by the federation.