Arunachal students' body protests Sambo Lapung’s Commonwealth trials snub, alleges selection bias

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union has raised serious concerns over the exclusion of three-time national record holder Sambo Lapung from India's Commonwealth Games weightlifting trials, alleging regional discrimination in the selection process.

Lapung, who competes in the 94kg category, has dominated national weightlifting competitions over the past three years, winning gold medals at senior national championships in Chandigarh (2022), Itanagar (2023), and Himachal Pradesh (2024). Despite this consistent performance at the highest domestic level, the Indian Weightlifting Federation overlooked him for the Commonwealth trials.

Instead, the federation selected Harshit Sehrawat from Haryana, whose qualification was based primarily on his performance at the Inter-India Railways Championships, where he lifted 335kg and secured a silver medal. The students' union points out that Lapung has consistently outperformed Sehrawat in direct competitions, including at the 2023 nationals in Itanagar, where Lapung lifted 338kg for gold while Sehrawat managed 328kg for silver.

"Mr Sambo Lapung has consistently outperformed Mr Sehrawat in direct competitions," the union stated in their representation to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs. "This is not an isolated instance but part of a pattern where Mr Lapung has clearly demonstrated superior performance."

The controversy highlights broader concerns about transparency in Indian sports selection processes. The students' union, led by President Dozi Tana Tara and General Secretary Ritum Tali, argues that merit-based selection should prevail over what they term "preferential or institutional bias."

The organisation, representing indigenous tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh, has formally requested government intervention to review the selection decision. They emphasise that such exclusions not only "demoralise" athletes from the Northeast but also raise questions about fairness in India's sporting institutions.

"The unjust omission of Mr Lapung, in spite of his consistent national-level achievements, not only demoralises athletes from the Northeast but also raises concerns about transparency and fairness in the selection process," the union wrote in their June 5 letter.