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The situation has drawn sharp criticism from the federation, which had received repeated assurances from coaching staff regarding the athletes' readiness. While Yarraji did not take to the start line for her event, Chhitravel participated briefly, recording a foul on his opening jump before withdrawing from the competition. Both athletes cited physical injuries as the reason for their inability to continue.
AFI Demands Accountability Over Medical Clearances
AFI spokesperson and former president Adille Sumariwalla expressed deep frustration with the turn of events, noting that the federation had been led to believe the athletes were fully prepared for the Games. According to Sumariwalla, the coaches had confirmed the fitness of both individuals as recently as the morning of the competition. The subsequent claims of hamstring issues and pain during warm-ups have been labeled as unacceptable by the governing body.
The inquiry will focus on the validity of the medical clearances provided to the athletes before their departure for Japan. The federation intends to scrutinize the entire process, from the initial training reports to the final medical assessments, to determine where the breakdown in communication or assessment occurred. Sumariwalla emphasized that someone must be held accountable for the discrepancy between the reported training form and the actual performance on the day of the event.
Context of Pre-Games Preparation
The controversy follows a period of independent preparation for the athletes. Yarraji and Chhitravel, alongside high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, had opted to skip the mandatory Indian Athletics Final Series held in New Delhi prior to the team's departure. Instead, they had been training at Tsukuba University to focus on acclimatization.
During this period, the athletes had been managing various injuries and niggles. They were ultimately cleared for the Asian Games only after submitting medical certificates that declared them fit for competition. The AFI is now reviewing whether these assessments were accurate and why the athletes were unable to compete as expected once they arrived in Nagoya. The federation has indicated that it will review all available details before deciding on any necessary follow-up actions.
