NADA officials to supervise State Athletics Championships

AFI chief Adille Sumariwalla

Maharashtra will become the second state after Kerala to implement the Athletics Federation of India's (AFI) new ruling which makes it mandatory for all states to have the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) monitoring athletes during a state championships.

NADA officials will be present on both days (June 25, 26) of the 69th edition of the Maharashtra State Senior Athletics Championship at the University Pavilion at Marine Lines where a record 1116 track and field athletes, including 828 men and 288 women from 34 districts, will be taking part.
"NADA has deputed three officials to be present during this meet. This is something that the AFI has been wanting to do for a very long time," Adille Sumariwalla, president of AFI and Maharashtra Athletics Association, said during the announcement of the state championship at the Mumbai Press Club recently.

Sumariwalla, 61, who represented the country in the 100m event during the 1980 Olympics, said the championships will be a huge learning experience and motivation for young, local athletes who will rub shoulders with some of the country's best.

"This [competition] is very important for local athletes. In our time, I used to be very excited to go to state championships not only because I was qualified but also because I would get a chance to see some of the big state athletes, who are national champions. To watch them even warming up was a big motivation," he concluded.

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