Sagoo in Sights to Become New AFI President

Chandigarh, December 29: In a move that spells the end for Adille Sumariwalla's 12-year tenure as the president of Athletics Federation of India (AFI), two-time Olympian Bahadur Singh Sagoo is poised to take over as the new chief of the national body. Following legendary long jump star Anju Bobby George opting out of the election citing personal reasons, Sagoo emerged as the sole contender for the top post.

According to sources close to the AFI, Sagoo's name came up on the basis of his impressive athletic record and strong ties with various stakeholders in the sport. The 51-year-old is a two-time Olympian who won gold at the 2002 Asian Games and also represented India at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics.

A former Padma Shri awardee given to him by President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006, Sagoo's name appears alongside that of Sudha Singh, a former middle- and long-distance runner, in the list of candidates representing the AFI athlete commission. The new team will be led by Sandep Mehta (Delhi) and BE Stanley Jones (Telangana), with Priyanka Bhanot and A Rajavelu set to join the Executive Committee.

The Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of the national body is scheduled in Chandigarh on January 7, where Sagoo is expected to be formally elected as the new president. The elections are slated for the first session of the AGM, with only one nomination remaining for the top post after George withdrew from the fray.

Besides the elections, the AFI will also scrutinise its national calendar for the coming year and take a firmer stance against doping. A stringent anti-doping policy is expected to be proposed at the meeting as part of efforts to address the rising issue in Indian athletics.

The AFI Secretary Ravinder Chaudhry first notified the members about the AGM on December 22, providing ample time for preparations ahead of the January 7 event.