The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has postponed the 18th Nationwide Inter-District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM), scheduled to be held subsequent week in Bihar, attributable to chilly climate and delays in long-distance practice providers, AFI president Adille Sumariwalla stated on Wednesday.

The AFI flagship occasion will now happen between February 10 and 12 on the Patliputra Sports activities Advanced in Patna.

“The chilly wave, main to colleges being closed, and the disruptions in practice providers have compelled the rescheduling of NIDJAM from January 12 to 14,” Sumariwalla stated. “With roughly 6000 girls and boys from practically 600 districts attributable to compete within the flagship assembly, we needed to issue within the athletes’ security in making the choice.”

In accordance with AFI, a few of India’s elite athletes like Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra (2012), 2018 Asian Video games medal winner in sprints Dutee Chand (2011) and world junior medalist within the lengthy bounce Shaili Singh (2019), have been amongst those that lower their enamel within the earlier editions of NIDJAM.

The NIDJAM is being held after a spot of three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grassroots competitors can be carried out for the primary time on the artificial monitor since its inception in 2003.

“The NIDJAM is world’s largest monitor and discipline meet on the grassroots degree and attracts uncooked expertise from greater than 550 districts,” Sumariwalla revealed.

The competitors can be organized for girls and boys aged under-14 and under-16.

The AFI president additionally careworn the significance of dangerous unwanted side effects of doping. He referred to as on district representatives to make sure that all their athletes have been conscious of the dangers of doping and the way it can impression their sports activities careers.

“Doping is a major problem and it’s our duty to make sure that younger athletes are conscious of the dangers and the implications,” Sumariwalla stated. “We should do all the pieces in our energy to teach and shield our athletes, and to take care of the integrity of our sport.”