The Hindu : SFI set to drop Senior National

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 24, 2002

Sport

Sport - Swimming

SFI set to drop Senior National
By Kalyan Ashok

BANGALORE, FEB. 23. The Swimming Federation of India is now all set to scrap the 2001 Senior National Championship, which was scheduled to be held at New Delhi this month end, citing ``unexpected problems.''

The event was jinxed right from last year, when SFI pulled out of the National Games in Punjab in November, claiming lack of proper heating system at the competition pool and it later scheduled the championship at Delhi in December 2001.

That too was postponed due to lack of time to get the pool heated for the championship. The championship was then deferred to February 2002. SFI, has now virtually given up the hopes of holding the meet.

The Secretary General of the SFI, Mr. Virendra Nanavati, squarely blames the Sports Authority of India for putting the Swimming Federation in such a spot.

Mr. Nanavati, in a telephonic chat with The Hindu said: `` It was at the instance of SAI, we agreed to hold the 2001 championship in Delhi. But SAI put up big financial demands for having the event at Talkotara pool, which is not acceptable to us or for the Delhi Association.

We are hard pressed to find sponsors for the meet per se and if we had to pay for using SAI facilities, there is no way we can hold the meet.''

Mr. Nanavati nurses some hope that SAI will show positive response on the issue.

But even if SAI does comply with SFI's plea, it will be too late to hold the championship in the month end .SFI will not be in a position to conduct it in March or April either due to school and college examinations.

Mr. Nanavati, said though it was unfortunate SFI is on the verge of dropping the 2001 event, it is going ahead with the plans for 2002 championship. ``It has been allotted to Kerala and Kerala Association will decide the venue.''

Mr. Nanavati said that the swimming discipline will figure in National Games, slated to be held in Hyderabad in November and SFI will ask all units to participate in the meet.

He also clarified that Senior Nationals and National Games will be two separate meets and thus there will be senior championships this year, which in a way compensates for the absence of 2001 event.

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