No end to archers' misery as AAI suspension overshadows stellar 2019 show

Suspension, internal mudslinging and factionalism overshadowed some stellar performances by Indian archers as the sport went from bad to worse with just a few months left for Tokyo Olympics in an eventful 2019.

The biggest blow to Indian archery came in August when World Archery suspended the national federation after two warring groups conducted parallel elections in Delhi and Chandigarh in a clear defiance of the international body's guidelines.

The suspension meant that a rich medal haul of one gold, two silver and four bronze at the Bangkok Asian Championships went unrecognised and the archers were forced to compete as neutral athletes under World Archery.

The Indians proved themselves to be a strong force, second only to the Koreans in Asia, when Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam denied their mighty opponents a clean sweep en route the compound mixed pair gold.

But there was little sense of pride on the podium as neither the Tricolour went up nor the National Anthem played