IOA wants bigger swimming, athletics squad for CWG hosts-Sep 29, 2010,

IOA wants bigger swimming, athletics squad for CWG hosts

Biju Babu Cyriac & TA Ameerudheen, TNN, Sep 29, 2010, 02.59am IST


NEW DELHI/BANGALORE: Even as names of participating athletes are being kept a closely-guarded secret by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, it has emerged that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has decided to add more athletes to the national squad. The move is intended to enable the hosts to have the largest contingent in the mega event.

Top officials of the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) and Athletics Federation of India (AFI) were among the first to get a surprise call from IOA officials after September 3 - the original date for all NOCs to submit entries by name - asking them to include more swimmers and athletes despite the fact that federations had already accommodated a good number through relaxed qualifying standards.

With Australia set to field a 52-member swimming squad, how can India, being the hosts, be left far behind? So the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) had sprung a surprise two weeks back when it included 17 more swimmers to a 26-member contingent. The 26 swimmers had been picked after a series of pruning exercises during the last two years. Their performance in three major events - junior and senior nationals and Federation Cup - was also taken into consideration while finalising the team. Though two of them - Richa Mishra and Jyotsna Pansare - were dumped from the squad after they were tested positive for methylhexamine, the federation had swiftly replaced them with two others, keeping the strength at 26.

It is learnt that the federation was reluctant to expand the squad but they succumbed to pressure. "They told us to give exposure to maximum number of Indian swimmers. So the selection committee met again to pick 17 more swimmers. But we have given opportunity only to deserving candidates," said SFI secretary Virendra Nanavati.

In a candid admission, Nanavati said he was apprehensive about the performance of the 17 swimmers. "I don't expect good performance from them," he said. He also cited the example of seven swimmers, who were included in the Indian team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune in 2008. "They were last-minute inclusions and they fared miserably," he said.

Nanavati said the Commonwealth Games Federation has already given approval for the 17 new entries.

According to officials in the AFI, the federation has decided to add at least 13 more to the first list that had 95 names, including 10 in the women's 4x400m relay squad, against the permissible number of six. "After it was realised that India's total count is less than that of another NOC the IOA decided to act. Among those who were lucky to take part in the Games in athletics include a male pole vaulter and women's hurdler," sources told TOI.