AFI Introduces Decentralised Training Model to Boost Indian Athletics

Steeplechaser Avinash Sable has joined the Bengaluru centre, while several athletes, including an Asian Games sprint medallist and a long jumper, have opted to train with personal coaches at private academies.

Indian athletics is entering a transformative phase as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) implements a landmark policy shift. Starting this season, long-duration national coaching camps will no longer be the norm—except for relay teams—allowing athletes to train at centres of their choice. These include private academies, armed forces training centres, or designated SAI centres (National Centres of Excellence).

This initiative aims to expand the pool of elite athletes while enabling them to train closer to home. To ensure their progress, the AFI has formed a dedicated team for regular monitoring. The "decentralisation of national camps" policy was officially approved at the AFI AGM held in Chandigarh on Tuesday and Wednesday.

AFI spokesperson and outgoing president Adille Sumariwalla stated, “We have given the (athletes) liberty to go and train at their centres—Army Sports Institute, Reliance Foundation, JSW, Tamil Nadu, Odisha state government centres, etc. Odisha has got foreign coaches; JSW has got foreign coaches. We are not forcing anybody to come to national camps. That is the most important part of decentralisation”. 

The AFI has strategically appointed foreign coaches at select training centres, giving athletes the option to train under their guidance by choosing these venues. Renowned US middle- and long-distance coach Scott Simmons will take charge at SAI's National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru, while Olympic and World Championships medallist Sergey Makarov will oversee javelin training at SAI Patiala.

In addition, Jamaican sprint coaches Jason Dawson (men’s sprints) and Jerry Holmes (women’s sprints) have been stationed at the SAI centre in Thiruvananthapuram, further strengthening India’s coaching infrastructure in key disciplines.

“We will give the athletes’ names to the NCOEs on the basis of their preference… We have laid out the policy on domestic competitions, on how the athletes will have to come to the camps (selected centres) in the last eight weeks before major international meets,” he said.

Only the 400m runners, including men, women, and mixed relay teams, will train together at the national camp in SAI's Thiruvananthapuram NCOE. Following the relay teams' disappointing performance at the Olympics, the AFI has mandated joint training as a prerequisite for selection.

“We’ll induct fresh talent from juniors, seniors, and the national GP circuit and invite them to NCOE to train with foreign coaches. Only those who join will be selected for international meets.”

According to reports, top 400m runners like Muhammed Anas had opted out of the camp. “Some did not want to train because they thought the workouts were too hard. Unless you do hard training, no way you can win medals at the Olympics.”

The AFI, in collaboration with SAI, is implementing decentralised training plans, with athletes being inducted into major SAI centres. Steeplechaser Avinash Sable has joined the Bengaluru centre, while several athletes, including an Asian Games sprint medallist and a long jumper, have opted to train with personal coaches at private academies.

“There is confusion among athletes on how the system will work. The top athletes can choose where they want to train. Those who have sponsors can go to private academies, but what about the mid-level athletes who were only dependent on national camps for good training?” asked a former national coach.

Some athletes and coaches were not sure about the standard of the facilities. “In national camps, priority was given to Indian athletes, and preparation was focused—be it nutrition, diet, dedicated physios, masseurs, or coaches,” said a middle-distance runner.

SAI plans to upgrade facilities for top track and field athletes, while AFI's monitoring cell will share athlete locations with NADA for out-of-competition testing.

“Anything new is a difficult task, but we have to do what is good in the long run for the sport. Look at the number of private academies, including states that are bringing in foreign coaches now. The more we spread out, the more it will widen our base. The athletes can stay close to their homes, which was one of the biggest complaints we had in long camps. Instead of 150 athletes at national camps, at NCOEs we get 1,000 people to train. It will expand the base. It will also help raise the standard of the SAI NCOEs,” added Sumariwalla.

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