‘No Support at All’: Amlan Borgohain Tears Into Assam Athletics Body

Indian sprinter Amlan Borgohain, fresh off a record-breaking performance in the men’s 4x100m relay, has launched a scathing critique of the Assam Athletics Association, accusing it of apathy and neglect towards athletes representing the state at the highest level.

On Wednesday, Borgohain and his teammates—Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, and Manikanta Hoblidhar—clocked a blistering 38.69 seconds at the Indian Open Relay Competition in Chandigarh, smashing a 15-year-old national record. Representing the Reliance team, their performance eclipsed the previous best of 38.89 seconds set by India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The quartet’s timing not only set a new Indian benchmark but also made them the fastest men’s 4x100m relay team in Asia this year, surpassing their own Asian-leading mark of 38.93 seconds set earlier in the competition’s heats.

However, even as the country celebrated the achievement, Borgohain took to social media to expose what he described as a disturbing lack of support from his home state's athletics body.

"Assam has only one athlete currently representing India—and even after setting a national record, there’s no support from the Assam Athletics Association," he tweeted on Thursday. He further lamented the absence of basic assistance: “No help with registration fees, no encouragement. How will Assam athletes grow like this?”

Assam has only one athlete currently representing India—and even after setting a national record, there’s no support from the the Assam Athletics Association. No help with registration fees, no encouragement. How will Assam athletes grow like this? @himantabiswa

— Amlan Borgohain (@amlanbg25) April 30, 2025

Borgohain, a former national record holder in the 200m and one of India’s most consistent track athletes, has often carried the state’s flag on the national and international stage. His frustration now shines a harsh light on what many in the athletics fraternity describe as systemic indifference by state associations—especially towards elite athletes who train and compete under challenging circumstances with minimal backing.

The sprinter’s public outcry has reignited conversations about the role and responsibility of regional sports bodies, particularly when it comes to nurturing and retaining world-class talent. While athletes like Borgohain continue to rewrite national records and bolster India’s standing on the global athletics map, the lack of institutional support threatens to undermine their progress.