Hima Das Missing From AFI's Initial World Championships Entry

World junior champion Hima Das' participation in the World Championships relay events became a matter of intense speculation on Friday after she was left out of the initial entries even though her name can still be added by September 16.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had on September 9 named seven women, including Hima, for the 4x400m relay and 4x400m mixed relay races. But it is learnt that Hima's name was missing in the initial entry of Indian women athletes for the two relay races submitted by AFI to the IAAF for the September 27 to October 6 showpiece event in Doha.

Meanwhile, sprinter Dutee Chand was on Thursday included in the India squad for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha later this month. The development came after the Indian federation accepted an invite for her participation from its parent body, the IAAF. "Participation of @DuteeChand is confirmed yesterday late evening by AFI to IAAF in Women's 100m," a tweet from the Athletics Federation of India said. Jisna Mathew, MR Poovamma, Revathi Veeramani, Subha Venkatesan, V K Vismaya and Ramraj Vithya have been entered for the women's 4x400m relay, while Hima's name is missing.