Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, March 29
For the second time in two weeks, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) failed to send the required sanction for a national camp in time.
Today the trap team was to start the national camp for the ISSF World Cup in Al-Ain, UAE. The World Cup, which starts on April 5, is an Olympics quota event. But the camp, originally scheduled to start yesterday (Thursday), did not get underway because the official sanction did not come in time for practice. The sanction was granted only by the evening today. Interestingly, as per the SAI sanction, the camp was to start on Thursday.
While a few shooters, including Kynan Chenai, Zoravar Singh Sandhu and Rajeshwari Kumari, trained with their own ammunition, those coming from outside of Delhi had to return because they did not have any ammunition of their own.
“I went to the range but left,” Shagun Chowdhury told The Tribune. “Now we will have only four days of training before the prestigious quota event. Also, as per rule, we are supposed to reach the venue two days before the tournament. That means we will get no time to train at the venue. As far as performance is concerned, it is very easy to point fingers but then you also need to give us assistance,” the London Olympian added.
None of the coaches barring Vikram Chopra showed up for the camp today.
A similar delay happened before the start of the World Cup in Acapulco, Mexico, earlier this month. The trap contingent was camped in Mexico for three days before the required sanction was issued.
SAI director general Neelam Kapur was unavailable for comments. Sources said that the delay happened because the annual calendar of training and competition (ACTC) for 2019 has not been approved.
No physio
Shagun also informed that Vidushi Vadehra, the team’s physiotherapist, has been axed from the touring party for the World Cup. “India has been sending a physio with the team and suddenly they have cut her name,” Shagun said.
“We are not getting the training in time, we are not going to a competition venue before time… Other countries are already there! It is a quota year. If we don't win a quota then we are to be blamed but there is no assistance for us,” she added.
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