Kathmandu, July 14
There has been controversy in the President Running Shield as an athlete who won an international medal has taken part in the tournament.
According to the tournament directives, an athlete who has won such a medal is not allowed to take part in these competitions held at the grassroots.
Badal Karki, who won a bronze medal in SAFF Cross Country Championship in Nagaland in India, ran the 3,000-metre event coming in second. Karki also took part in the 4 x 400-metre relay in the Gandaki province.
The President Running Shield directives also state that if such an athlete is found to have competed in the event, he/she would be disqualified and his/her medal would be taken back and handed to the person with the next best time. Action will also be taken against the people who allowed this to happen, the directive states.
Nepal Sports Council‘s tournament planning department’s Min Sharma says the council will take strict action against the athlete and those who allowed him to participate in the competition.
But, the Gandaki province’s athletics coach Gaj Bahadur Gurung has denied any wrongdoing. He has said his team has not included ineligible athletes.
He defended Karki by stating the tournament he took part in was not a track and field event either.
“That was a competition that didn’t fall under athletics. That is why we included him in the President Running Shield,” says Gurung.
