BENGALURU: If a last-minute change of venue sounded extreme enough, para-atheletes at the ongoing National Para Athletics Championships were in for a rude shock on Wednesday night. For, shot put was conducted with help from mobile phone lights and car headlights at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) didn’t respond to calls but the videos doing the rounds painted a sorry picture of sport in India.
This incident under the Bengaluru lights was the latest in a series of snafus the PCI has seemingly entangled itself in since March 21. First, they shifted the competition from Chennai to Bengaluru leaving some athletes stranded. Even if they couldn’t be blamed for that, as TN government denied permission due to rising Covid cases, the first day itself has eyebrow-raising episodes play itself out.
First, deciding to organising a para meet at a venue not friendly to wheelchairs. Then, there were multiple reports of Covid-19 breaches, including not adhering to SOPs, a fact acknowledged by Sports Authority of India.