"My colleagues and I will take this as encouragement to sustain our efforts and infuse more energy to make athletics the most loved sport in the region,” commented Adille Sumariwalla, president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) that was adjudged the best athletics federation in Asia. At a function in Bangkok on July 10, 2023 to celebrate the 50th year of Asian athletics, Sumariwalla received the award from Gen Dahlan Al Hamad of Qatar, president of the Asian Athletics Association.
"It is the result of team work and we believe that the award belongs to the dynamic new India,” stated Sumariwalla. He shared with Parsiana an article in RevSportz, dated July 11 where he has been quoted at length. "This would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of our talented athletes, coaches, support staff, my colleagues in the executive committee and the office staff. We have been encouraged by the Government of India to reach new heights and supported by our partners in realizing our vision.”
Adille Sumariwalla (r) receives award from Gen Dahlan Al Hamad
He referred to AFI’s relentless effort to keep the athletics community together during the Covid-19 pandemic that adversely impacted many spheres, including sports. Besides focusing on keeping India’s athletes well prepared for competitions like the Tokyo Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, AFI also ensured that coaches and technical officials in the South Asian region benefitted from knowledge sharing and upgrading their skills. Council member of World Athletics as also of Indian Olympians, Sumariwalla remarked that the World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe would repeatedly commend AFI for taking the lead during the pandemic in engaging officials through video conferencing facilities.
An Olympian and Arjuna awardee, Sumariwalla stated that AFI conducts more than 20 national level competitions each year for its athletes across all age groups. Their flagship event is the National Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet for those under 14 and under 16 years, considered the largest grassroot talent search program. They simultaneously strive to ensure that young talent does not face a burnout because of the twin threats of early specialization and over-training.