PUNE: Sportsmen from the Khadki-based Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre are not representing the Indian contingent at the Paralympics at Beijing.
This is for the first time that the PRC sportsmen are missing in action at the sporting extravaganza, since India made its Paralympics debut in 1984, held at Stoke Mandeville, New York. Strong medal contenders from the PRC who missed the bus to Beijing include Anthony Pereira (a 1971 war casualty) and Nil Bahadur Gurung.
Lt Col (retired) SP Jyoti, the medical director at PRC, blamed the union sports ministry for the gaffe. “Earlier the ministry of defence bore all expenses of the players and the officials. But this year, the sports ministry came forward to sponsor the event, and in the process, took the authority in selecting the final probable for the Paralympics,” Jyoti said.
PRC sportsmen have in the past won 5 golds, 13 silvers and 5 bronze medals at various international events, including the Paralympics. Expressing grief Gurung said, “At the selection trails held in Bangalore in February 2008, I qualified in all criteria. The officials told me that I was selected but kept me waiting.”
Gurung has so far won one gold and four silver medals at the international events. Pereira has won one gold and seven silver. Union sports minister MS Gill, when contacted, said, “The teams are already in Beijing and I have no idea of the selections as I am in Ladakh and I will be back later this week.”
