News reports suggest that Manpreet Kaur, the first shot-putter from India to qualify for the Olympics, was given a strange reason by a senior Athletics Federation of India (AFI) official for not being allowed to take her coach and husband Karamjeet Singh along to the Rio Olympics.
"When I asked a senior AFI official about taking my coach with me, he said, 'You won't win a medal. So what's the point of sending a coach with you?' I was taken aback. I mean, I'm trying to win a medal for my country. I have a daughter of four years, who is alone at home. Why would I go all the way to Rio just to participate? I felt extremely bad, because the official doesn't know the importance of my coach going with me," Manpreet was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.
Manpreet, who is currently training in Poland, broke an 18-year-old national record last year at the 55th Senior Open Athletics Championship when she recorded a 17.98 m throw. In the South Asian Games held in February, Manpreet won a gold with a throw of 17.96 m.
Manpreet says she needs her coach with her Rio because he knows her training routines better than she herself. "We had a routine planned prior to the Olympics. Now that will get completely disrupted."
Nevertheless, Karamjeet is making a desperate attempt to make it to Rio by August 10, spending from his own pocket. But then there are a number of formalities to be done and he still may not make it in time to Rio to make a difference to Manpreet.