Indian athletes in danger of being disqualified from Winter Olympics

India’s Shiva K.P. Keshavan

The Indian athletes heading to the Winter Olympics at Sochi next month seem to be running into one problem after another. Having already been denied the chance to take part under the Indian flag, the athletes now fear that they might be disqualified due to lack of equipment.

The Sports Ministry has been extremely late in releasing the necessary funds for the purchase of skiing equipment and kits required by India’s athletes. Due to this delay, Alpine skier Himanshu Thakur and cross country competitor Nadeem Iqbal will have to buy new kits for the showpiece event in Sochi next month with money from their own pockets, or else they would risk facing disqualification. Luger Shiva Keshavan, the third participant from India, already has the necessary equipment in his possession.

“I have to buy the whole sports kits as the ones I am using now will not be accepted in Sochi. I am fearing that I may be thrown out at the starting line,” Himanshu told PTI from Shemshak in Iran, where he is participating in an event as part of his preparation for the Games.

“The whole sports kit will cost at least Rs. 6 lakh at the minimum. It can be more according to quality. I don’t have the money to buy the equipments. Whatever money I had, I spent on participating in events outside India to get qualified for the Games,” he said.

The required equipment includes ski board, boots, stick, goggles, helmet, racing suit and back protector, among other things.

“I will have to forget Winter Games if the government does not sanction the money,” Himanshu added.

According to Winter Games Federation of India (WGFI) Secretary Roshan Lal Thakur, it is compulsory for the participants to use equipment as specified by the organizers of the Games, or else they will not be allowed to participate.

“The equipments to be used in (Winter) Olympics are of different specifications from those of other events. The two types of equipments can never be the same, so our athletes will have to buy new equipments,” Thakur said.

“It is not that the Sports Ministry is not giving the amount. I got to know that the Ministry has sanctioned the necessary amount but it’s getting delayed as I am told it will have to go up to the Sports Minister for the final sanction,” Thakur added.

“I am hoping that we get the necessary sanction by next week. We have to send all the documents back to the International Olympic Committee by January 22 so that the athletes can leave for Sochi early next month.”

The three Indians will be taking part in the Winter Olympics as Independent Athletes under the banner of the IOC as India is serving suspension from Olympic events since December 4, 2012. If the Sports Ministry continues to be as lethargic with its approvals, however, two of these three Indians might not even get to do that.