Sailor Ekta claims foul play for missing Worlds, coach refutes charges
CHENNAI: Even as the World Sailing Championships began in The Hague, The Netherlands on Tuesday, a woman sailor, her crew and their coach seemed to be involved in a bitter altercation. Madhya Pradesh sailor Ekta Yadav and her crew Karthik Baiye (Army Yachting Node) were supposed to compete in Nacra 17 category at the Worlds, also an Olympic qualifying event, but as the latter didn't apply for the visa, the participation looks almost impossible with the race starting on August 11.
"The Yachting Association of India (YAI) mailed every participant and club on May 16 informing them about the participation in the Worlds. We also received a schedule for the fitness tests and I appeared in one of them on May 31. Me and my crew member finished second in the Asian Games trials but we were supposed to compete in the Worlds. I have already paid the entry fee and submitted the visa fee apart from hiring a boat for the event. If our team was not supposed to compete, I should have been informed earlier," Ekta told this daily.
Earlier, Olympian Colonel Nachhatar Singh Johal was appointed as Nacra 17 coach. He is also the commanding officer of Karthik at the AYN. Accusing the coach and her crew of conspiracy, Ekta said, "If it's not conspiracy what else is this? I have suffered financial loss and mental torture as well. I have been selected to represent the country but I don't think I can compete now despite completing all formalities. Maybe I cannot sail for life now but I wanted to make sure such things do not happen to other sailors that's why I have decided to raise my voice."
Ekta said that the coach never wanted her to compete believing that if she had finished ahead of the other Nacra team comprising Ramya Saravanan (crew) and Siddeshwar Indar Doiphode (helm) in the Worlds, she would have staked a claim for a place in the Asiad team. Ramya and Siddeshwar had won the trials to be selected for the quadrennial event. The Nacra race begins on August 11.
The coach, however, refuted the claims made by Ekta. "I am shocked to hear it (allegation) because we have always supported both the teams equally. In fact, better equipment was given to Ekta and her crew. Why would we list Ekta and her crew for the Worlds despite finishing second in trials if we never wished to send them to The Netherlands? The fact of the matter is that agencies including the AYN, Sports Authority of India and Madhya Pradesh government invested a lot in these sailors in the last one-and-a-half-year as we believe in giving equal opportunity to all. We even bought two Nacra boats worth more than Rs 1 crore for the purpose," the coach told this daily from The Hague.
Colonel Johal, in fact, blamed the lack of communication between Ekta and Karthik for the mess. The crew, Karthik, admitted that the duo was not on talking terms ever since they lost the trials. "She used to blame me for any problem. She never respected me and my organisation (Indian Army). How can I sail with her if she doesn't give me respect as after all self-respect is an important thing," Karthik told this daily. The issue might snowball into a bigger controversy with parties blaming each other but one thing is clear it certainly has deprived sailors of an opportunity to represent their country at the highest level.