IOA prez Usha slams EC members for ignoring Olympics medallists
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha has slammed the executive committee members for failing to agree to felicitate the Paris Olympics medallists.
In a statement, Usha said she was sad that the EC has not made an attempt to even discuss the subject. “No Indian athlete before this won two medals in a single edition of the Olympics, and I take pride I was able to help Manu (Bhaker) in this journey. It is a matter of pride for me we had medals from Neeraj Chopra, Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kushale and the men’s hockey team as well but the EC does not want to celebrate their success, which makes me very sad,” Usha said.
“These athletes have made the nation proud, and it is the responsibility of the IOA to celebrate their achievements with the respect they deserve. It is deeply concerning that, even after returning home in mid-August, the EC has failed to discuss or take any steps towards organizing a formal felicitation ceremony,” she added.
The IOA announced to hand Rs 1 crore to gold medallists, Rs 75 lakh to silver medal winners and Rs 50 lakh to bronze medal winners besides cash prizes ranging from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 25 lakh to their coaches.
Usha revealed that the rift within the IOA stalled a preparatory grant of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh to the Paris athletes and coaches, respectively. “I strongly believe that this grant would have given our athletes and their coaches the support they needed in the crucial period leading up to the Olympic Games. The refusal to disburse these funds reflects a lack of understanding of the needs of athletes and shows a complete disregard for their preparation and well-being,” she said.
“As someone who has represented India on the world stage, I understand the importance of recognising the hard work, sacrifices, and victories of our athletes. It is disheartening to see that others in positions of power, especially those who have also worn the national colours, are failing to uphold this duty,” she added.
