No Uniforms for Indian Olympic Team
The Indian winter Olympic team has arrived in Vancouver (Canada) to compete for the 21st Winter Olympic Games. The team comprises of just three individuals including Shiva Keshavan (Luge), Jamyang Namgial (Alpine Skiing) and Tashi Lundup (Cross-Country Skiing). Some Indian radio shows in Vancouver are reporting that the Indian team has arrived without proper equipment and clothing for this event.
This is the kind of news about India that will circulate all around the world. This is also the type of thing that should not be happening to Indian sports anymore considering that money and other resources are not out of reach of the Ministry of Sports as it once was when India was a closed economy.
Vancouver’s “Bollywood Station” RJ1200 has so far raised $8000 (Canadian) from a fundraising event on Wednesday and has also set up a bank account so that people can contribute and help the athletes.
An Indian owned track shop (Sports Unlimited owned by TJ Johal) has donated track suits for the Indian athletes to wear during the opening ceremony. They are also trying to embroider the Indian flag on to the track suit!! TJ Johal said to the news media that “My first reaction was, you’re kidding me. They’re from India, the land of clothing, and they have no clothes to wear? But that’s just how it is in Third World countries”. In addition some lawyers from Vancouver also contributed $9700 so that Team Captain Shiva Keshavan can buy a new Luge. His old Luge was broken during training and is held together by screws and duct tape!!
I get very upset when I come across news like this which puts India in a very poor light. We know that India is still largely a poor country and things take time to improve or change. But providing proper attire to Olympic athletes is not one of them. Olympics are a prestigious event. It is about competition and excellence. An athlete has to be well trained and properly equipped before entering the competition or bad things can happen. Coincidentally Georgian athlete (Luge) Nodar Kumaritashvili died after his luge crashed during training yesterday.
Talking to CTV Indian team captain Shiva Keshavan said “to feel this kind of support from our community on the other side of the world from India, it is such a great feeling”. Welcome to our part of the world team India and good luck to all of you.
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Category: Sports & Entertainment
This is depressing and sad. The Indian Government needs to really take some action.. India is being shown in bad light and that’s so disgraceful for all of us..
All the best to the Olympic Team!
You are right Parth. Whether we agree with it or not image is very important in the West and India’s image took a beating over just $20,000.
oh this is horrible.. terrrible how we treat them. I guess only cricket gets the money in India
Welcome Dr Roshan. It is a sad state of affairs and I am not sure why the government is so insensitive.
Cricket is the game that is considered as sport in india, rest all others are something not in count. there was account of Indian football team in WC selections without proper shoes, first of all people should come out of the mask called cricket and try to encourage other sports…
Welcome Manjunath.
I agree with you. We have become a one sport nation. All the other sports are completely ignored. Very few even know that in a few weeks India will be hosting the World Cup Hockey tournament.
Oh this is bad! Instead of wasting their money and energy toward neighbouring countries’ internal affairs, why don’t the Indian Govt look after the basic needs of their athletes? Oh what a shame!!!
Welcome John,
Most Indians would agree that the government should have done a better job. Things are improving but it takes a while for countries like India to change after centuries of oppression and looting in the name of religion and trade by the Europeans.
As far as the political statement that you are trying to make … India is not any more or any less involved in the internal affairs of its neighbors as any other country in the world.
Hooray for Ms. Shushma Datt and Mr. Johal. The delegates accompanying the team should be thoroughly investigated–this stinks of corruption. I can’t believe the Indian Government didn’t give any money, whether the athletes saw it or not is entirely another matter.
Welcome Pinky.
I read an article after I published this one where one government official claimed that the money was there. Obviously the athletes did not benefit from it.
hahahaha…Indians not only suck in Cricket but they also suck in every other sports.
They have massive Himalayas and Hindu Kush mountains but they only had 3 people to represent 1.2 billion. hahahah….Lazy Indians!
You are so easily amused … that too at the plight of other human beings like you …. are you sure you had your medication or is it the lack of a decent education?