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The International Archery Federation has withdrawn the Youth Archery Championships from Delhi and the Indian association is upset over FITA's attitude over the issue.

The championships were to be held in October this year and was considered by the Archery Association of India as a good opportunity for the youngsters to get exposure before the Commonwealth Games in 2010.

But earlier this week, FITA withdrew the competition from Delhi on the ground of exorbitant hotel rates.

Even the AAI's bid to convince FITA to shift the event to Jamshedpur did not bear fruit as the international body rejected the venue due to the absence of an international airport.

"FITA Council has decided to withdraw the Youth Archery Championships from Delhi due to the excessive inflation of hotel rates in Delhi. Although the federation tried all options including proposing an alternative venue, the options proposed did not fulfil the requirements," the federation said in a release.

Now FITA has sought fresh bids from member associations by 15^th February to organise the event.

On the other hand, the AAI is upset over the whole episode.

"Hotel rates in Delhi have sky-rocketted in the last three years. But we suggested Jamshedpur as the alternative venue and offered very good boarding and lodging facilities at very cheap rates. But FITA's objection was that there is no international airport in Jamshedpur," AAI Secretary Paresh Nath Mukherjee told a news agency.

"I am a bit upset. FITA made an issue of the international airport and in small cities you do not find such a facility. In Europe, most of the events are held in small cities and nobody has a problem," he said.

Mukherjee, however, said that the withdrawal of the event would not affect Indian archery in any way.

"I don't think it's a loss for us in anyway," he added.