Imphal, Aug. 14: The Manipur team for the junior zonal athletics meet will return to Imphal without participating in the meet following a decision taken by the Co-ordinating Committee Against Conspiracy to Exclude Monika from Beijing Olympics.

The committee had decided on Monday not to send any state team to zonal, national and international meets as a mark of protest against the exclusion of weightlifter Monika Devi from the Beijing contingent.

The co-ordinating committee comprises Manipur Olympic Association, state level sports associations, various student groups and citizens’ organisations. The meeting also resolved to explore ways for Manipur’s independent participation in international meets.

Manipur’s junior athletics teams, numbering about 30, including officials, left Imphal on August 12 for participation in the eastern zonal meet slated to begin on Saturday in Jamshedpur. The team, which reached Howrah today, decided to turn back after the co-ordinating committee expressed reservation against the team's leaving Imphal despite the decision taken during the public meeting a day earlier.

Officials of the Manipur Athletics Association today informed the co-ordinating committee that the team would be turning back from Howrah without participating in the meet, a functionary of the committee said.

The functionary said the committee would serve a show cause notice to the association for sending the team even after the decision was taken during the public meeting.

Manipur Women Hockey Association president N. Momon Devi has already announced that she will not send a team for the 24th national sub-junior girls hockey tournament in Uttaranchal to be held later this month.

The Manipur Archery Association has decided not to send its junior and cadet teams for the National Ranking Archery Circuit Tournament in Jharkhand on August 21-24, adds our sport correspondent.

The Manipur Chess Association has also decided not to participate in national and international events as a mark of protest.

The Manipur Women’s Hockey Association has already cancelled its sub-junior women’s hockey team’s participation in a championship at Rourkela this month.

Probe demand: Manipur sports minister N. Biren Singh said the Manipur government would continue to press for a CBI inquiry into the Monika doping controversy. The co-ordinating committee is also not satisfied with the probe by former Election Commissioner T.S. Krishnamurthy.