90% of Indian tracks substandard: AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla

In a shocking revelation, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) spokesperson Dr Adille Sumariwalla said that over 90 per cent of tracks in India are substandard and are now under the scanner.

Sumariwalla confirmed that most Indian tracks are substandard in terms of materials, construction, and even measurements.

“Over 90% of tracks in India are sub-standard, whether it is the laying methodology, thickness, or the material used. In some cases, tyre rubber is used instead of proper polyurethane,” he said while addressing the media in New Delhi on Saturday.

He pointed out that after insistence from World Athletics, the AFI will have to be involved in the process and intensify testing of tracks.

“AFI was never involved and stayed away from it for a long time. The way the tracks have been awarded is not something we want to get into. We've never certified any track ever," Sumariwalla said.

"We stayed away from certification, but now World Athletics has asked us to step in, so we will have to in future. They showed us some data during the World Championship in Tokyo, and the results were shocking," he added.

The AFI now plans to vet a list of vendors from across the globe and also intends to intensify testing of the tracks. This development comes after the federation conducted a course with experts on how a track is to be laid, tested, and measured.

AFI to fund SRY gene test

In compliance with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Athletics’ mandatory SRY gene testing for female athletes, the AFI will bear the cost.

The SRY gene test, a one-time screening, was introduced at the World Championships in Tokyo last year. Each costs around Rs 8,000, but AFI has reached a consensus with the authorised lab for Rs 3,500 per athlete.

“AFI will bear the cost of the SRY gene test. We’ve approved DNA testing for research purposes to understand injury prevention, recovery patterns, and muscle composition. Currently, most available data is based on non-Indian athletes, so building our own database is crucial for the future of training and sports science in India,” he added.

Three-month pause on sponsorship rule

A fortnight after making it mandatory for athletes to seek approval before entering into contractual agreements with sponsors or third parties, AFI has decided to put the rule on hold for three months.

“We’ve decided to keep consultations open for another three months to address all concerns,” he said.

AFI also plans to host an awards function to mark the federation’s 80th anniversary.

Sumariwalla further stressed that India is actively bidding to host more international events. The country has secured the hosting rights for the 2028 World Indoor Championships and has submitted bids for the World U20 Championships, along with plans to host the Asian Relays in Chandigarh and the Asian Indoor Championships in Bhubaneswar.

Five teams for World Relays 2026

India will be sending official entries in five relay team events at the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 2026, scheduled on May 2-3.

The athletes selected for the team for relays include:

4x400 Men/Mixed: Rajesh Ramesh, Manu T.S, Amoj Jacob, Dharmveer Choudhury, Nihal Joel, Vishal TK, Theerthesh Shetty, Jay Kumar

4x400 Mixed: Rashdeep Kaur, Saloni Kumari, Ansa Babu

4x100m Men/Mixed: Pranav Gurav, Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Ragul Kumar, Harsh Raut, Tamil Arasu

4x100m Women/Mixed: Nithya Gandhe, Sneha SS, Tamanna, Sudeshna Shivankar, Sribani Nanda.