Parents of Wushu players on Saturday demanded the Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) director to produce a written explanation for allegedly denying the use of Wushu Hall at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex for conducting the trial selection of 21st Junior National Wushu Championships.
A joint statement issued by the parents of Wushu players stated that the Wushu Association of India (WAI) sent its chief executive officer (CEO) Suhel Ahmed to conduct the trial selection of the state team for the upcoming 21st Junior National Wushu Championships. Accordingly, a letter was sent to the YAS director requesting permission to use the Wushu Hall of Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, it added.
As no response was given even as the requested date drew closer, WAI CEO Suhel Ahmed asked someone to enquire deputy director Thouba, who then provided a verbal permission, the statement added.
In order to limit expenditure of Suhel, WAI concluded the trial selection of the Manipur junior and senior team for the upcoming Junior and Senior National Wushu Championships along with the state team for the National Games, it informed.
“On arrival in Imphal, Suhel Ahmed and Manipur Olympic Association (MOA) officials had a joint meeting and agreed for MOA to conduct the trial selection of the players in Suhel’s presence as representative of WAI for the 36th National Games as it is under Indian Olympic Association (IOA),” it stated.
It mentioned that on August 9, the National Games selection trial was stopped as some disagreements arose, after which it was decided to continue with the junior team trial instead. Then SAI Wushu coach Maibam Premkumar and his associates requested Suhel to carry out the trial on the following day i.e. on August 10 as some players were yet to report since the announcement was sudden, it stated.
The statement alleged that at around 1 pm of August 9, YAS director called Suhel Ahmed to his office and denied official permission to use the Wushu Hall for the trial selection, citing some people had complained against Suhel. “Feeling insulted, Suhel Ahmed who came straight from Georgia to Manipur in the interest of players, left the next day without conducting the trial selection,” it added.
It stated that no team can take part in the National Championships without the approval of the National Federation.
Mentioning the importance of the trial selection in the career of the players, it condemned the YAS director for his actions.
It demanded the YAS director to produce a written explanation for the refusal to permit the use of the Wushu Hall for the trial selection, along with a copy of the complaints against WAI CEO Suhel Ahmed. It also drew the attention of the authorities concerned for the sake of the careers of the players.
