No Keshavan in IOA panel for 2022 Winter Olympics

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 13

With an eye on the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the Indian Olympic Association has constituted a 15-member committee headed by the president of Ice Skating Association of India (ISAI) president, RK Gupta, to monitor the preparedness and needs of the Indian athletes.

Importantly, six-time Olympian Shiva Keshavan has not been included in the committee. Keshavan, 38, participated in the luge event in six consecutive Winter Games from 1998 to 2018.

Yet, there are names in the committee, including those of Abraham K Techi (secretary general, Arunachal Pradesh Olympic Committee), Virender Sachdeva (associate EC member, IOA), C Laltlanthange (associate EC member, IOA), John F Kharsingh (working president, Meghalaya State Olympic Association), Balasaheb Laridge (secretary, Maharashtra Olympic Association), who have little or no knowledge of what is involved in the world of Winter Olympics.

I have always desired to work for the promotion of winter sports in India. I can add real value since I have decades of experience and know what needs to be done for winter sports in the country. I am saddened to be excluded from winter sports development projects and I see a lack of athlete stakeholders. —Shiva Keshavan, Six-time winter olympian

The committee was constituted by IOA president Narinder Batra on May 27 to “review the current status of Olympic Winter Sports in India and submit a report to the President IOA including its recommendations and suggestions required towards increased representation of India in Winter Olympic Games as well as realisation of medals.” Batra was unavailable for comments.

‘Saddened’

Keshavan, who has plans to bring up a high performance training centre for Winter Games in India, was surprised by the decision.

“I have always desired to work for the promotion of winter sports in India and I have given my availability to IOA, Ministry and sports federations. I can add real value since I have decades of experience and know what needs to be done for winter sports in the country,” Keshavan told The Tribune.

“I am saddened to be excluded from winter sports development projects and I see a lack of athlete stakeholders. But I am always here to support the cause of winter sports,” he added.

Incidentally, the chairman of the newly-formed committee has written a letter to federations and other stakeholders to provide names of three probables who must be under 25 years of age, gold medallists and must have had training stints outside India for a minimum of 30 days in the last two years.

‘Needless appointments’

Meanwhile, some in the IOA felt that these appointments — over seven committees have been formed in the last few weeks — are being done to shore up support. “What’s the point in making new committees? It is being done as a favour to some and to bring his (Batra) supporters in the IOA fold,” said a source.