India yet to name official Asian Para Games squad four days after New Delhi send-off
Four days after the Sports Ministry and the Paralympic Committee of India flagged off the Asian Para Games contingent in New Delhi on October 8, India had not published an official squad list for the Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Many athletes have already departed for Japan despite the absence of a formal roster.
The send-off on October 8 was led by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), and para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat and para-table tennis player Bhavina Patel were named as India's flag bearers for the opening ceremony. The delay in releasing the official list coincides with protests from para-athletes contesting selection decisions, most prominently among para-shooters who have alleged irregularities.
The send-off ceremony was disrupted when para-shooters staged a demonstration outside the venue, carrying placards and demanding explanations for their exclusion from the team. Those protesting included Sandeep Kumar and Akash, who questioned why they had been left out despite their rankings and performances.
In a written representation to the Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the shooters alleged they were being pressured to pay a share of government cash awards as a condition for selection. The representation stated athletes were being coerced into paying a 20 per cent commission from their sanctioned government cash awards to designated office-bearers as a precondition for selection.
The shooters also raised concerns about an appointment to the contingent staff, alleging that a person named as a technical expert and Director of Operations had "no record of participating in an official competitive shooting event." Sandeep, a P4 50m free pistol SH1 shooter, said he was aggrieved by what he described as arbitrary decisions and violations of the selection rules and questioned the selection of Rudrankksh Khandelwal, alleging that his own Asian ranking, along with that of Akash, should have placed them ahead. Akash alleged his credentials had been overlooked because he had not named shooting coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal as his coach.
The Paralympic Committee of India rejected the allegations. The Sports Ministry said Mandaviya would meet the protesting para-shooters on Friday to address their concerns, including allegations of corruption and irregularities in the selection process, and a Ministry source commented: "Little can be done now to make any changes to the contingent. But these are very serious charges and cannot be simply rejected without a thorough understanding of what's going on."
Protests extended beyond shooting: six para-cyclists who were left out for failing to meet the selection criteria demonstrated at SAI headquarters. Paralympian Arshad Shaik was the only cyclist to receive the Ministry's approval for the Games; he finished fourth among nine athletes at the Asian Para Road Championships this year and fifth in the eight-athlete field in the 1km time trial at the Asian Para Track Championships.
With final entries already submitted, changes to the contingent appear unlikely, and the Asian Para Games are scheduled in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24.