Controversial athletics coach Yuri Ogorodnik is all set to return to India, four years after he was sent home to Ukraine by the Sports Ministry.
Three members of the 4x400m women’s team that won the gold at the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games in 2010 had tested positive for taking performance-enhancing drugs and were subsequently banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for two years.
The Ukraine-based coach, who trained the team, was dismissed in 2011 for his alleged role in the doping scandal. Four years on, the Sports Ministry has changed its stand and has given its clearance to appoint the 77-year-old as the coach, The Hindu has learnt.
“We expect him to be in India any moment now,” a top official in the ministry said on Thursday. “With the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) insisting that he is the only option as the women’s longer relay team coach, the ministry had to give its consent. The AFI has also taken the full responsibility for any possible controversies — including those related to doping — that could emerge after Ogorodnik’s appointment.”
WaryThe ministry had been wary, though. One of India’s most successful and respected coaches had written to the Sports Minister protesting against the AFI’s move to reinstate Ogorodnik. The letter had wondered whether Ogorodnik’s return would do any good to Indian athletics, which was shamed by the doping scandal of 2011.
The letter made the ministry think, for some three months, but AFI’s persuasion seems to have succeeded. The federation’s argument has been that the relay squad is India’s best prospect for a medal in athletics at the Rio Olympics next year and that Ogorodnik was not indicted.
“We believe he is the best coach available and that is what the athletes have also been telling us,” AFI secretary C.K. Valson said. “The athletes have trained under him for a long time and they are all comfortable with him.”
From the Sports Ministry, the Ogorodnik file reached the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which had its reservations on a few issues, including his age and medical bills.
SAI, it appears, has put the ball back in AFI’s court, for the time being.
“We had raised concerns about his health issues as he cannot be covered by the general insurance taken by SAI,” a SAI official said. “We have asked AFI to give an undertaking that Ogorodnik is medically fit to carry out his duties as a coach and that his medical bills would be borne by AFI, which has not responded to us till now.”
The official admitted that the coach’s age was an issue. “When we stipulate that sports officials be below the age of 70, it may look strange when we appoint 77-year-old coaches,” he said.
“But, AFI was adamant; and SAI didn’t want to be blamed for denying the country a chance of an Olympic medal.”
