Asian Athletics gold medallist runner PU Chitra's participation in the IAAF World Championships in London, scheduled for an August 4 start, looks confirmed now after Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel directed the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Saturday, July 29, to ensure her participation.
This comes in chorus with the Kerala High Court's direction to the AFI, a day back.
READ: How the legendary PT Usha was left harassed over the PU Chitra issue.
"Sports Minister Vijay Goel has advised the Athletic Federation of India (AFI) to honour the Kerala High Court directive to ensure the participation of PU Chitra in 1,500 metres race at the IAAF World Championships to be held in London from August 4," the Sports Ministry said in a statement.
"Goel talked to AFI President Adille Sumariwalla on the issue and advised him not to contest the directive given by the Kerala High Court as PU Chitra is otherwise a wild card entry for the World Championship," it added.
Chitra, a long-distance runner, had won the 1,500m gold at the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar earlier this month, clocking a personal best of 4:17.92. Despite that, she wasn't named a member of Team India for the IAAF World Championships.
Although national coach PT Usha mentioned time and again that Chitra's omission from the team was mainly owing to her not being able to meet the IAAF qualification mark of 4:07.50s and nothing personal, the media made up stories that Usha might have had personal vendetta as Chitra didn't belong to the former's Usha School of Athletics.
Chitra clocked 4:17.92s -- way below the qualification mark -- at the Asian Championships in Bhubaneswar.
Still, disappointed on getting snubbed ahead of the IAAF World Championships, Chitra filed a writ petition to the Kerala court demanding to get a slot in the India team for the athletics meet, as she already won the coveted gold medal in the Asian Championships.
A key rule of the IAAF mentioned that any athlete winning a gold medal at the Asian championships gets a shot at the World Championships.
The AFI, however, remained strict enough with the qualification mark.
