Africans running for Arabs is human trafficking: AFI

Using strong words to condemn the practice of African runners competing for cash in the colours of Arab countries in the Asian Games Athletics Federation of India chief Adille Sumariwalla termed it as human trafficking which he said was unlikely to happen in futureI wear two hats and there are two ways of looking at it My strong view is that the athletes are bought used and thrown out by the Arab countries What they are doing is completely wrong said Sumariwalla at a media interaction organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai on Wednesday Sumariwalla also a council member of the world athletics body IAAF said further that these African runners did not qualify properly to represent their adopted Arab countriesThey are not given citizenship they are given only residency given fake passports on the basis of which they are participating and once they finish they are thrown out thats human trafficking I am opposed to human trafficking and have done it tooth and nail in IAAF meetings said the former 11time national sprint champion He said the future looked bleak for those countries in trying to adopt the same methods and winning medals many of them of the golden hueI have got that waiting period increased to three years They need to be given full citizenship and in places like Qatar the countrys constitution does not allow that Either they have to change the constitution or figure out how to include them he added However Sumariwalla said that the AFI has already advised the Indian athletes who could have won eight more gold medals but for Africans running under the garb of Arabs to look ahead and compete at a higher level where the same Africans will be there representing their own continentIn the Asian Games we won eight silvers and lost eight gold medals to Africans But having said that while explaining to athletes I told them we are done with the Asian Games and we should be able to fight with Africans at all levels The next stop is the world level so be there Sumariwalla said he had some reservations about the governments TOPS scheme because of the manner of selection of sportspersons to be included in the schemeI have huge reservations on the way the selection is done If its a relay team three are selected and two others are not Its a team Imagine a hockey team in which eight are there and three are not in TOPS he explained While praising the institute of sport set up by a private steel firm in Bellary Karnataka as world class Sumariwalla questioned the air quality in that placeIts outstanding world class but what is quality of air there Can any athlete breath that air You have mines a power plant and a cement plant in the vicinity he said Sumariwalla also said the Indian womens relay teams were the best bets for a medal in world class competitions like next years world championships in Qatar and the 2020 Olympic Games in TokyoOur best chance is the relays and if I have to put my money I will put them on the relays he said He said Hima Das who became a huge star with her storming lead run for the gold medalwinning womens 4x400m relay team in the Asian Games in Jakarta after capturing the silver in the onelap race earlier would have to clock below 50 to be a force in world level meetsHima Das will have to get her time below 50 her graph has been so fast that it will flatten out She cannot continue at that pace We will have to preserve her if not this 2020 Olympics but for the next Olympics Olympian shooterturned coach Deepali Deshpande wresterturned coach coach Kaka Pawar and Boxing Federation of Indias secretary general Jay Kowli also participated in the interaction arranged as a precursor to SJAMs annual awards for the yearCatch up on all the latest sports news and updates here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updatesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever