AFI looking to host international GP

NEW DELHI: Saying that it was working towards hosting an international Grand Prix, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Sunday announced that it was planning to bring a world-class event to India and was in touch with counterparts in other countries in a bid to attract top athletes for the event.
The AFI, after its two-day Annual General Meeting in Meerut, also announced the appointment of Dronacharya awardee JS Bhatia as the chief coach of the Indian junior athletics team.
Bhatia had earlier mentored the likes of PT Usha and Asian Games gold medallist Sudha Singh.
In appreciation of its efforts in promoting athletics, Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) was awarded full membership of the AFI. In a bid to make the state associations more active, the AFI made an amendment in its constitution according to which voting rights of the state units will be withdrawn for three years if they fail to carry out developmental activities.
AFI also decided not to ratify Merlin K Joseph's national-record bettering effort in women's 100m dash last year due t doubts about the timing system, setting at rest the controversy regarding the matter. Joseph ran 11.35 secs in the semifinal heats of the National Open Athletics Championships in Ranchi to better Rachita Mistry's record of 11.38 secs.