Ashwini Nachappa: IOA is insensitive to athletes

Bangalore: Former international athlete Ashwini Nachappa hit out at the Indian Olympic Association over its failure to adhere to the deadline laid down by the International Olympic Committee regarding fresh elections that has resulted in Indian athletes being forced to compete under the Olympic flag at next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The four Indian athletes will not have the privilege of competing under the national flag after and will instead be represented as “independent athletes under the Olympic flag”.

“The very fact that our Indian team is going to Winter Olympics without sorting out these issues, speaks volumes.

I would have hoped that they had their general assembly and adopted the constitution as per the IOC, prior to our team going so that at least they could compete under our national flag,” Ashwini said on Wednesday.

She further added that the IOA officials had always ignored the athletes. “Unfortunately the (IOA) officials don’t consider that important at all. They have always been insensitive towards the athletes,” she said.

Ashwini, the president of Clean Sport India, said despite high cases of doping among Indian athletes, not much has changed.

“I believe that the performance-enhancing drugs have become rampant even in our country. Among young children, it is such a dangerous trend. I am connected with athletics and when I see the junior meets that takes place, it is actually quite frightening. You go to any national championship; you see syringes on the ground, in the toilets.”

Ashwini kicked off the ‘School of Speed’ a 1km relay race for children in the age group of 13-16 along with Yuvraj Singh at a promotional event here by Puma.

The races will be conducted at Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai with the national winners getting a lifetime opportunity to meet world champion Usain Bolt.