CHENNAI: India’s top gymnast, who revolutionized the sport in the country, Dipa Karmakar is uncertain about her participation at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September-October.
Despite topping the Asian Games trials held by the federation in July, she felt she was ignored because of certain criteria of sports ministry and Sports Authority of India confusion, she could miss out too. Her name was apparently sent by the Gymnastics Federation of India but SAI has considered two other names.
Dipa’s coach Bishweshwar Nandi, too, is of the opinion that the criteria is wrong if they consider past performances and not current form. Dipa, who has been training even during her doping suspension period, made a comeback after 21 months in July. And her coach felt the selection criteria was flawed.
During a conversation with this daily, she requested the sports ministry to reconsider her name. Dipa is hoping that the sports ministry and SAI would consider her case.
“I participated in the trials for the Asian Games in Bhubaneswar and topped it. And now, suddenly I learnt that my name was not sent because of some new criteria. Then I requested the SAI to relax the criteria. For the last three years or so, I was not competing due to injury (ACL surgery) and then doping suspension. After that, I practised and participated in the trials. So they should consider my case,” she told this daily.
Dipa felt this is quite challenging for an athlete. “As an athlete, we train with targets in mind and when you realize you are not getting the target then it upsets you mentally and is very disappointing,” she said.
“I have been putting in a lot of effort and hard work so that I could give my best at the Asian Games for my country. People in the country did not know much about gymnastics but after the Rio Olympics, people started to know about the sport. I will try and do my best for the country at the Asian Games.”
As for the Olympic qualifications, the gymnast who finished fourth at the Rio Olympics said it would be dealt with later because she is now more concerned about the Asian Games. “As of now we are concentrating on this,” she said.
“Olympic qualification efforts will continue. I don’t think the current selection criteria works for gymnastics because our sport is such that we cannot rely much on our past performances, especially on 1-2-year-old performances, rather than considering current form.”
Dipa felt ignoring the current form will not be good for the sport. “I have full confidence that whatever decision that will be taken will be in my favour and will be good,” she said. She also talked about the period when she was banned.
“To be honest, one has to be mentally very strong but my coach (Nandi) and my family supported me a lot and that’s why I was very strong and fighting to give my best performance.”
Dipa’s coach Nandi, who has been training her since her childhood, had been supporting her. “She should be part of the team,” he said.
“To make gymnastic criteria you need gymnastics experts because it is a very technical game. I don’t know who made the criteria but the selection in gymnastics doesn’t happen this way. In my life, I have played eight-ten internationals and won nationals three-four times but I have not seen criteria that take into account past performances.”
“If they select gymnasts on the basis of past performances then it will be for the first time they are selecting athletes like this and it will not be good for the sport,” he said.
“In our game, there are a lot of unusual moments, uncertain moments and injury-based games and that’s why you should always consider present performances.”
“My request to the sports ministry and SAI is that they consider current performance and I am really hopeful that they will select athletes based on present performance,” he said.
There is a possibility that Dipa could be included in the team.