AFI charts NE as athletics hub with Kohima Declaration

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has adopted the ‘Kohima Declaration’ to strengthen athletics in Nagaland and the wider Northeast, outlining measures to improve infrastructure, expand grassroots participation, and position the region as a hub for major sporting events.

The declaration was finalised following the federation’s two-day general body meeting in Kohima, where officials deliberated on ways to better integrate the region into the national sporting framework and create pathways for young athletes to compete at elite levels.

Addressing reporters, Lalit K. Bhanot, president of the South Asian Athletics Federation, said the discussions led to a series of key decisions aimed at strengthening athletics across the country. He emphasised that the declaration underscores the role of sport in fostering national unity and development.

Among the measures, AFI has made SRY gene testing mandatory for athletes participating in national competitions, with costs to be shared between the federation and the government. Additionally, DNA testing will be conducted on a selected group of around 100 athletes for research purposes, focusing on performance analysis.

To broaden grassroots participation, the federation plans to restructure district-level units by increasing representation from rural areas. The move is intended to decentralise decision-making and encourage greater involvement from villages and block-level organisations.

In a bid to promote mass participation, AFI will organise an annual two-kilometre run across nearly 700 districts on August 30 each year.

AFI Vice-President and World Athletics president Adille J. Sumariwalla announced disciplinary action against underperforming state units. He said existing bodies in Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh would be dissolved and replaced with ad hoc committees.

He added that Tripura and Manipur have been placed under observation and downgraded to associate membership without voting rights, warning of further action if performance does not improve.

Sumariwalla also noted that international experts have been appointed to mentor both senior and junior athletes, with the aim of enhancing India’s competitiveness at global events.