Kolkata: Indian archers run the risk of competing under a neutral World Archery (WA) banner if the de-recognised national federation, Archery Association of India (AAI) fails to set its house in order soon, international body’s secretary general Tom Dielen has warned.
Dielen said they were against punishing the archers but described the ongoing deadlock in AAI as a concern ahead of the upcoming Olympic qualification tournaments.
The 2019 World Archery Championships, slated in June next year, will offer 24 berths to the top eight teams in both men’s and women’s sections, while there will also be continental qualification tournament next year.
The current status quo of AAI cannot continue indefinitely. At a certain moment we might have to decide that the Indian athletes participate under a neutral WA banner
Tom Dielen/WA secretary general
“The world body has been working towards having a functioning, recognised member association in India for quite some time,” the 50-year-old archer-turned-sports administrator told this agency in an interview from World Archery headquarters in Lausanne.
“At this stage, we’re still enthusiastic that a resolution can be reached but this must happen soon. It’s our primary objective. If it does not happen, then further steps will be taken.
But those steps will not be designed to punish athletes. However, it is a constitutional requirement that a well-governed member association is in place within a country,” the secretary general added.
AAI was de-recognised by the government of India in December 2012 for violating the Sports Code. Last year in August, the Delhi High Court appointed former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi as administrator to get the constitution drafted and hold fresh elections but nothing has been done yet.