Sports Federations asked to pay fines for damage to property during Commonwealth Games

India's position as a sporting nation has gained momentum ever since the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games concluded with India taking home 66 medals, the highest of all time in the nation's history. In the most bizarre of events, India has created another landmark due to causing several "damages" at the Commonwealth Games Villages in Australia this year. Owing to such developments, The Indian Olympic Association has asked National Sports Federations, including those of basketball, hockey and athletics, to pay up their respective share in the Rs 59,262 bill that the IOA had to pay to the Commonwealth organisations due to the damages inflicted by the athletes. The Indian Olympic Association has been accordingly fined 1450.74 Australian dollars (Rs 73,988) by the CWG Organising Committee. Following this development, IOA President Narinder Batra has asked Secretary General Rajeev Mehta to take this matter up with respective NSFs in an email communication according to

PTI sources. "I strongly recommend that the total amount of Rs 73,988 debited to IOA by CWG OC should be recovered from the respective NSF's (less refrigerator hiring charges) immediately and the NSFs should be asked to speak with concerned athletes and support staff that such things should not happen in future," Batra wrote in his communication to the IOA secretary general. Now, IOA President Narinder Batra has written a letter to the various National Sports Federations to recover the amount from the respective athletes. The objects that were found damaged include door keys, wardrobe hanging fabric, cushion covers, lamps, power boards and USB Outlets. A list of room numbers and respective sports have also been sent to the federations to look into the correct recovery of money from the perpetrators.

Among the list of damage-inflicters, the basketball team has topped the list and has been levied the most substantial fine for damaging internal doors of the apartments. The other big fine is on the hockey team for tampering the bedside lamps. These issues cropping up right before the August-slated Jakarta Asian Games 2018 is the last thing India needed. Narinder Batra recognises the impression this would create and in a sternly worded letter said, "Such kind of activities bring bad name for our country, and these are basic things each participating NSF now needs to explain and tell its participating athletes and officials in Asian Games and after that in all other games in future." It can be hoped that the Indian contingent after this fiasco will be wary next time when they step out and not get fined this heavily in the future endeavours!