Itanagar: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union has raised concerns about alleged regional discrimination in the selection process for India’s Commonwealth Games weightlifting trials, following the exclusion of three-time national record holder Sambo Lapung. Despite Lapung’s consistent dominance in national weightlifting competitions, the Indian Weightlifting Federation selected Harshit Sehrawat from Haryana for the trials.
Lapung has won gold medals at senior national championships in Chandigarh (2022), Itanagar (2023), and Himachal Pradesh (2024), lifting a total of 338kg in the 94kg category at the 2023 nationals. In contrast, Sehrawat’s selection was based on his silver medal performance at the Inter-India Railways Championships, where he lifted 335kg.
The students’ union points out that Lapung has outperformed Sehrawat in direct competitions, questioning the selection decision. They argue that merit-based selection should prevail over potential bias.
The union has formally requested government intervention to review the selection decision, emphasising that such exclusions demoralise athletes from the Northeast and raise concerns about fairness in India’s sporting institutions.
The controversy highlights broader concerns about transparency in Indian sports selection processes, with the union seeking to ensure that athletes are selected based on merit rather than regional or institutional preferences.
Read More: Two Insurgents Neutralised in Encounter with Security Forces near Myanmar Border