Commonwealth Games 2018: Indian athletes complain about lack of arrangements

Embarrassment just does not seem to end for India in this edition of the Commonwealth Games, and the Games have not even begun yet. For the past week, the Indian contingent has been under the radar after they failed to adhere to the no-syringe policy of the Commonwealth Games. This comes after two previous warnings, one at the Rio Olympics and one at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. However, even without this issue, the Indian Commonwealth contingent was far from being at peace. With only two weeks in hand, the Indian Olympic Association dropped 21 names from the prospective members of the Indian contingent. The members who were hacked ranged from parents to physios and even team managers.

Also Read: India summoned to meet Medical Commission after violating needle policy With only a day before the games begin, it feels like the athletes are beginning to lose their patience with the arrangements that have been made for them. Among the hacked members was Saina Nehwal's father. The badminton star tweeted her disappointment saying, "Surprise to see that when we started from India for commonwealth games 2018 my father was confirmed as the team official and I paid the whole amount for that but when we came to the games village ... his name was cut from team official category .. and he can't even stay with me." https://twitter.com/NSaina/status/980812863966134277 She went on to elaborate on the inconvenience that this arrangement has caused, and chose not to beat around the bush. She expressed her disappointment in the Commonwealth Games Federation as this caused her father to be barred from entering the Village for the contingents. https://twitter.com/NSaina/status/980813410056024064

Weightlifter Sathish Sivalingam expresses disappointment

Following the suit of the former world no.1 is 2014 CWG Gold medalist weightlifter Sathish Sivalingam who stated that this dismemberment caused serious problems for weightlifters had to reach the venue without their physios, coaches or massage therapists. https://twitter.com/sathy732/status/980818625161412608 Among others who were left without visas was Heena Sidhu's husband Ronak Pandit who is a former shooter himself and most important, the shooting contingent's manager, meaning the gun permit issued by the organizers of the Commonwealth Games had been issued in his name and could have posed a huge problem for the entire contingent. Hence, with so little time in hand, instead of relaxing and getting into the skin of the tournament, the Indian athletes are compelled to worry about logistical issues. After this, if India fails to come home with truckloads of medals, it will not be the government who will be blamed but it is the athletes who will have to face the dissatisfaction. Also Read: India's doping troubles at the Games