Athlete Jyoti Chouhan cries foul, writes to SAI director

Nagpur, June 21

After handball, the selection of athletics coach for RTMNU-SAI Khelo India centre has become controversial as international athlete Jyoti Chouhan who was rejected has shot off a letter to Sports Authority of India (SAI) director seeking justice to her.

It may be mentioned here that a three-member panel consisting SAI official and two RTMNU representatives conducted interviews for the post of coach on March 6 thru online platform. As far as athletics is concerned three including Jyoti Chouhan, Sayali Waghmare, and Gajajan Thakare had applied for the job. Out of them Sayali Waghmare got selected.

However, Jyoti Chouhan who had represented India in 30th Summer World University Games held in Italy in 2019 has alleged that although she has an international experience and three gold medals at national-level she was rejected.

In a letter written to SAI director she said, “I am an international athlete and have experience of 12 years. I have been a student of SAI Bhopal for the last five years and got coaching from experienced coaches Hugo Van Den Broek, Pratibha Toppo and Surendra Paul but instead of me another girl was selected”. She also requested the SAI to consider her for the coach post as she is the most deserving candidate with a lot of experience for this job.

Talking to Lokmat Times Jyoti said , “I have nothing against Sayali. But at the same time the selection panel should have considered my international experience which the selected candidate (Sayali) has not. I have more national gold medals in my kitty than her. Secondly, I have no support behind me. I have been training at Bhopal for last five years and has almost lost the contact with local athletics circle. That may be the reason behind the rejection”, said Jyoti.

The athlete who won gold medals in 3000 m steeplechase in All India Inter-university Athletics Championship at Guntur in 2017, gold in half marathon at Coimbatore and half marathon gold in All India Inter-university Athletics Championship in 2015 said in this regard she also talked to the director of the department of sports and physical education of RTM Nagpur University Dr Sharad Suryavanshi. “ When I asked the reason why I was rejected he surprisingly said more than performance the importance was given to interview.”

'Sayali best from coaching aspect'

In this regard when contacted Dr Suaryavanshi he said, “ No doubt, Jyoti's achievements are more than Sayali but from a coaching point of view the selection panel found Sayali better. Her training methodology, educational background and positivity gave her an edge over Jyoti”.