Swimmers sans suits

Two Indian swimmers, bound for Olympics, are yet to get the speedo swimsuit

BANGALORE: While the swimmers around get the best facilities, the Indian swimmers might have to swim in their pajamas instead of a swimsuit in Beijing. Beijing-bound Rehan Poncha and Sandeep Sejwal have to hunt for a sponsor who can buy them the expensive speedo LZR racer swimsuit which almost every swimmer in other countries own. It costs around $ 900 (Rs 36,000). “I better swim in birthday suit,” quipped Poncha who qualified at the Sydney trials.

The representative of Swimming Federation of India (SFI) and national coach Pradeep S Kumar told DNA said that their demand for the swimsuits from Planet Sports was rejected and instead the company wanted to hold meets for their publicity. “We placed the demand three months back. But we were offered some sleazy stuff like shorts, ear and nose plugs which is of no use to swimmers at competitive level. The Olympics are approaching and we need the suits urgently and Planet Sports are the lone distributors of Speedo products in India,” he said.

The marketing head of sports and lifestyle Ramesh Kaushik of Planet Sports said that the suits were not available when the swimmers placed the order but now the company has already provided the suits for the swimmers who have qualified. However the swimmers said they have not yet received any package. “We needed the suits before the trials and Planet Sports failed in getting them from Speedo international,” Pradeep said.

Four swimmers from India have qualified for the Olympics. One of them, Veer Dhaval Khade, however, has got the speedo suit.

But India has lost its best bet Shikha Tandon who was unable to clock the Olympic B qualifying mark in Malaysia last month. “I failed to make it by 0.05 seconds and even at Telstra Grand Prix in Sydney trials. Had I been provided with the fastest swimsuit I would have had better chances of qualifying,” says the Olympian.

Another Olympian Nisha Millet, who mediated between the swimmers and Planet Sports, said that although the  swimmers were ready to pay for the suits the distributors failed to get them. It was not like we were asking for charity.

“In countries like the US and Australia even the club swimmers have been provided with these suits. At least the SFI should have gone all out and got them these suits,” she jibed.

However the swimmers are hoping to own a speedo LZR racer suit before leaving for the Beijing Olympics on August 9.