With no access to formal coaching, facing shortage of funds, getting no sponsorships and with hardly any media coverage, the Indian para-athletes are fighting against all odds to represent the country at various national and international sporting events.
With no access to formal coaching, facing shortage of funds, getting no sponsorships and with hardly any media coverage, the Indian para-athletes are fighting against all odds to represent the country at various national and international sporting events.
But the Paralympics Committee of India (PCI) seems to turn a blind eye to all their sufferings. This is the third time in four years that the Indian body has been de-recognised by the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) and the sports ministry following complaints of infighting, financial bungling and poor treatment of para-athletes at the National Para Athletics Championships in Ghaziabad last month.
The situation has come to this that Indian athletes will not be able to participate in any IPC-sanctioned events for no fault of theirs. This includes the World Blind Games in South Korea next month and India's first Open Para Games, scheduled to start on May 2, which might now stand cancelled due to the indefinite ban.
However, at a time when one expects suspended PCI office-bearers to be working towards resolving their internal issues in order to get the ban lifted, they are busy plotting each other's downfall and how to hold back onto their positions once the ban is lifted.
At a press conference convened by the PCI on Thursday, the welfare of para-athletes and their future was the last thing on their agenda as a majority of the discussion was about how sacked PCI president Rajesh Tomar committed financial irregularities, promoted infighting among the office-bearers and encouraged factionalism.
The press conference was called by Tomar's fierce critic, secretary general J Chandrashekar and joint secretary Sathyanarayan. Though, Chandrashekar was not present there during the meet, Sathyanarayan did not miss out on any opportunity to blame Tomar for the current mess.
To top this, the PCI went ahead with the appointment of Nale Nandkishor as the interim president despite the suspension. This would surely be attracting more wrath from the IPC.
When Sathyanarayan was asked about the need to appoint a new president and whether this would not promote more infighting in the PCI, the very reason for which the PCI was suspended, he said: "The war has only intensified and we will do everything in our capacity to keep Tomar away. At our AGM on May 17, we will decide who is going to be the next president."
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