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Democracy, yes! Grand Prix athletics, no!

Despite the proud boast of Amateur Athletic Federation of India president Suresh Kalmadi, India failed in its bid to secure the right to conduct a Grand Prix-level athletic meet for the year 1998.

The reason? The Great Indian Democracy. India had been awarded a GP II event for the year 1996, which the AAFI failed to conduct. The reason given was that the May 8 schedule for the meet clashed with general elections in the country. And AAFI's request for a postponement of the meet had in turn been turned down by the International Amateur Athletics Federation.

So this time round, the IAAF has decided not to award a GP level meet to India. In the process dashing the hopes of Kalmadi and AAFI secretary Lalit Bhanot. The officials had been maintaining that since India has already held nine permit-class meets, it should now be upped to the GP class.

Not. At least, not this time round. "We will try again next year," was Kalmadi's sole reaction.