A distraught Anjan Chinappa, Joshna's father, told this paper on Friday that he had made all arrangements in Brisbane, including pre-tournament training costing Australian $850. ``But now, with the SRFI not clearing my daughter's entry, Joshna will have to stay back,'' said Chinappa.

Apparently, Joshna did not meet the SRFI requirement which made it obligatory for her to attend a ``conditioning and assessment'' camp in Chennai under coach Rajiv Reddy. This camp was to be held between August 25-31, as per a communication dated August 20 from SRFI secretary-general N Ramachandran.

Theletter to Chinappa also stated that at the conclusion of the camp, the selection committee, based on the report of the coach, ``will take a view on your request'' whether or not to forward Joshna's entry to Brisbane.

Ramachandran's letter was in reply to Chinappa's request of August 18 wherein the parents had sought SRFI's clearance for the Australian Open, while also mentioning the last date for entry (August 27).

Earlier, the SRFI, in a notification dated August 2, had put forth conditions vis-a-vis participation in tournaments abroad. Accordingly, the player had to first submit a request to the SRFI. A committee, comprising of the secretary-general, the joint secretary and the national coach, will then ``scrutinise'' the request.

The notification continued: ``Subsequently, if the committee so desires, players will be called for conditioning and assessment camp. These camps will be conducted by coaches nominated by the SRFI...Based on the reports submitted by the coaches, the committee will selectplayers for participation in tournaments abroad.''

Though the SRFI was made aware of the last date for submitting entries (August 27) for the Australian Open, it decided to have a camp which would conclude on August 31 after which a decision would be taken whether or not to send the entry.

Chinappa declined to send Joshna for the camp since he thought it would be pointless, as the entries would have been closed by then. He then received a local telegram on August 25 from Ramachandran reminding him that his daughter had not reported for the camp.

Chinappa said: ``I simply cannot understand the logic of this camp. After all, Joshna had only last week won the under-15 title and was runner-up in under-19 category in a Mumbai tournament. It meant that she was fit, physically and mentally. Earlier this year, she took part in tournaments in Malaysia and Singapore without having to undergo any such conditioning and assessment camp. So, why this new condition?''

``After all, the SRFI does not pay for our tripto Brisbane. We are coughing up a huge amount so that our daughter gets as much international exposure as possible. Why should the SRFI come in the way instead of recommending Joshna's entry?''

SRFI's One-man Inquiry

The SRFI has instituted a one-man commission to inquire into ``circumstances leading to the non-inclusion of Joshna Chinappa'' in the Indian team for the recent World Junior championship at Antwerp and ``the subsequent controversial articles that have appeared in the Press''.

SRFI vice-president Shiv Hazari will conduct the inquiry for which he has summoned, Joshna's parents, a couple of other players, coach Rajiv Reddy, SRFI joint secretary S Subramaniam and SRFI Secretary-General N Ramachandran himself. The inquiry has been scheduled for Sept 7-8 in Chennai. It's astonishing that the SRFI, after going great lengths to justify Joshna's omission, has now decided on an inquiry into its own actions!