Why should I continue? asks disheartened Gurmeet

Race walking coach miffed at attempt to keep him out of Tokyo Olympic contingent


BENGALURU: Ace race walker and Olympian-turned-coach Gurmeet Singh is not part of the Indian contingent to the

Tokyo Olympics

despite having trained two of the five race walkers who will compete at the Games.


The last few weeks have been frustrating for the coach as he awaits an official intimation from the

Athletics Federation of India

(

AFI

) about his inclusion in the contingent. The uncertainty continued even on Monday.

"Why should I continue? If I am denied a place in the team despite producing the results, I feel there is no point in being part of the national camps organized by the AFI. I would rather train other athletes who are part of the

Sports Authority of India

," a disappointed Gurmeet told TOI here after monitoring another workout session of his wards at the SAI South Centre.

"When the athletes were asked to submit their passports a few months back, the federation didn't ask for my passport. Last month, I got my passport renewed after the AFI wrote to the passport office, urging them to treat my case as top priority as I had been selected as part of the athletics continent for the Tokyo Olympics. Now, AFI tells me that IOA is not accepting my name as the last date is over."

Gurmeet said his trainees were upset to learn that his trip was still not confirmed. "I have not told them anything as I don't want to upset their training. The two - Sandeep Kumar and Priyanka Goswami - are very talented and are capable of doing much better. They have set national records and qualified for both the Olympics and the World Championships."

The other walkers in the squad - KT Irfan, who first trained with

Harminder Singh

, Bhawna Jat (who joined the camp after making the Olympic grade) and Rahul (who joined a few weeks back) - are now under the care of Russian coach Alexander Artsybashev.

'I will continue to prove myself'

"I've proved my credentials by producing two Olympians. What more should I do for the country? If this is what you get back in return (from the federation) then why should I continue? This is wrong. There is no other coach who has produced two athletes who have qualified," said Gurmeet, who competed in two Olympics and won four medals at the Asian level.

Gurmeet, who is married to

Olympian Deepmala Devi

, juggles the responsibility of family life, taking care of his pregnant wife, and training his wards. "I have 25 years left in service and will continue to prove myself," he said. "I have a lot of options as many youngsters want to move to Bengaluru to train with me."

According to sources, complaints about AFI's treatment of Gurmeet have even reached the

sports ministry

.