We are not sure about our fate, says Bombayla Devi after World Archery suspended the Indian federation
India’s top female archer Bombayla Devi has said that the archers in the country are not sure about their future after the World Archery decided to suspend the Indian federation on Thursday. Bombayla has also added that the archers will sit together and write a letter to the sports ministry soon.
The World Archery, on Thursday, decided to suspend the Archery Association of India (AAI) after two parallel bodies were elected to govern the sport in the country. As per the decision, the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid from August 19-25 will be the last event in which the Indian archers will play under the Tricolour. The global body will also wait for the AAI to find a solution before the end of this month, failing in which, India will not be allowed to take part in the Asian Championships in Bangkok in November which is a continental Olympic qualification event.
The women’s team have got a jolt with the decision as they are yet to secure a quota place for the Olympics for which the men’s side have already qualified. Senior archer Bombayla Devi has raised concerns about their participation and the future of the archers in India.
“Now without federation, we may have to play for World Archery. We may not get benefit from the Indian government. Federation is in no mood to listen to our pleas and engaged in mudslinging with each other. We are not sure about our fate,” Bombayla told PTI.
“All our focus currently are on the trials. We will sit together and may write to the sports minister.”
Indian women’s team coach Poornima Mahato has also said that the news is a terrible one and it will only affect the players.
“Let them keep fighting at the expense of archers’ fate. It’s terrible news for the players. Only the archers will be at loss, no one else will suffer,” Mahato said.
“They will not get any job or recognition. Tournaments will stop happening. At least SAI is supporting for the Olympics but if there’s no ‘India’ team in Tokyo 2020 then what’s the motivation of getting a medal?
“Even if they win a medal, it will be under the WA banner. Overall the players will suffer. It’s been going on for over seven years now but nobody is bothered. They are just busy fighting with each other. Federation is not in a position to take stand. Who will speak for us now?” she asked.
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