India at CWG: Participation of two track and field athletes uncertain

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New Delhi: The participation of track and field athletes S Sreeshankar and Siddharth Yadav at the coming Commonwealth Games (CWG) in Australia remains doubtful as their names were sent after the deadline even as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has requested the organisers to allow the duo to compete.

High-jumper Yadav had crossed the qualifying mark set by the AFI while long-jumper Sreeshankar had missed the qualification standard by a mere centimetre during the Federation Cup National Championships in Patiala but was named in the Indian athletics squad by the selection committee.

The Federation Cup was the qualifying event for Commonwealth Games selection but it was held from March 5-8 whereas the deadline for sending the final list of entries for each country was on March 7.

The AFI, however, said that it was not expecting the duo to reach the qualification standard and so did not include their names in the provisional list of athletes for their accreditation for the Games.

AFI Secretary CK Valson said the federation was hopeful of a positive outcome in the next 2-3 days.

"The accreditation process for the athletes had ended in mid-December last year. We did not include the names of S Sreeshankar and Siddharth Yadav in the provisional list because we did not expect them to cross the qualifying mark," Valson told PTI.

"The deadline for sending the final list of entries was on March 7 but we made an immediate request to the organisers, the Commonwealth Games Federation. We have written letters to the organisers, the CGF as well as the technical delegates. If you ask me, I will say that we are hopeful of the two athletes being included in the Indian athletics team," he added.

Sreeshankar leapt 7.99 m to win the gold in long jump while Yadav bagged a silver by clearing 2.25m in high jump.