Itanagar, Jun 7: The East Kameng Social Welfare and Cultural Organization (EKSWCO) has sought immediate intervention of Union Minister of Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, over the exclusion of state’s star weightlifter, Sambo Lapung, from the Indian team for the upcoming Commonwealth Weightlifting championship.
Lapung, a three-time national gold medallist from Lapung village in East Kameng district, has been dropped from the final team despite a stellar record in the 96 kg category.
Criticising Lapung’s exclusion, the EKSWCO, which submitted a detailed representation to the minister on Saturday, described the move as a ‘serious lapse in fairness and transparency’ by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal West parliamentary constituency, has been urged to take immediate steps to address what the organisation perceives as a gross injustice to one of India’s top-performing weightlifters.
Lapung clinched gold at the senior National Weightlifting Championships held in Chandigarh (2022), Itanagar (2023), and Himachal Pradesh (2024). Notably, during the 2023 championship in Itanagar, he recorded a total lift of 338 kg, outperforming Haryana’s Harshit Sehrawat, who lifted 328 kg.
Despite this superior performance, the IWF selected Sehrawat over Lapung for the Commonwealth squad, allegedly favouring his silver medal showing at the Inter-India Railways Championships.
EKSWCO has strongly objected to this decision, questioning the selection criteria used by the Federation and pointing to a lack of consistency and meritocracy.
The organisation stated that Lapung’s exclusion not only diminishes his outstanding achievements but also delivers a blow to regional sentiments across Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast.
“This decision reflects a disturbing trend of stereotyping and discrimination against athletes from the Northeast by mainland institutions,” it said.
EKSWCO added that such incidents risk alienating the youth of the region, for whom sports represent a powerful vehicle for national integration and self-realisation.
Founded in 1978, EKSWCO highlighted the symbolic importance of Lapung’s achievements, arguing that his selection would have served as a beacon of hope and motivation for thousands of young athletes across the Northeast.
“Lapung’s inclusion would inspire countless young talents and reinforce the message that merit and hard work are duly rewarded,” said EKSWCO chairperson Raya Flago.
“Ignoring such a decorated athlete from your own constituency sends a disheartening message, not just to him but to the entire region,” he added, urging Rijiju to take up the matter personally with the IWF.
The organisation has also demanded that the IWF adopt a transparent, performance-based selection policy, placing greater weight on national championships rather than selectively favouring other events.
EKSWCO further appealed for a comprehensive inquiry into the selection process to uncover the rationale behind Lapung’s omission and to ensure such discrepancies do not recur in the future.
“Lapung’s exclusion has caused immense disappointment in Arunachal Pradesh. As our representative and a respected leader at the national level, your decisive action will not only bring justice but also restore the faith of the Northeastern people in India’s sporting institutions,” it added.
