NEW DELHI, July 22: Miffed at the Government’s decision to keep them away from the Olympics, the Sports Authority of India has again requested the Sports Ministry to include the names of SAI officials in the Indian contingent for the London Games.
In a letter to P K Deb, secretary, Department of Sports, Dr Prem Chand Kashyap, SAI’s Executive Director, Stadia, has informed the sports ministry that his term as SAI office-bearer is coming to an end in 2014 and that in his 33 years of long service, he has never been to any of the Olympics.
“Kashyap is retiring in 2014 and London Olympics is his last chance to witness the Games. He has never been to Olympics despite putting in so many years as SAI administrator. He should be given a chance to experience the biggest sporting spectacle on the earth,” an official, privy to the development, told PTI.
“There are genuine candidates like Kashyap who deserve to go to the Olympics. These officials are involved in taking policy decisions at SAI and it would be first time that there will be not a single SAI official at a major event,” said the official.
The government’s decision has left another senior SAI official fuming — he has decided to fund himself for the London trip.
“L S Ranawat, executive director, NIS Patiala has decided to shell money out of his own pocket. He does not want to let go this opportunity. The Government’s decision not to send SAI officials to London has left him disappointed,” the official added.
Former SAI Director General, Desh Deepak Verma, had proposed a team of 15 officials for the Games, but the ministry included only his name in the official contingent before he was being promoted as Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs early this month.
Kashyap’s is a second reminder to the ministry.
It has been reliably learnt that new DG, Gopal Krishnan, is going to the Olympics as part of the ministry’s delegation in place of Desh Deepak.
Among those listed for the trip to London were Ranawat, Kashyap, Radhika Sriman (ED, teams) and SS Roy (regional director, South).
Francisco Sardinha, Parliamentary estimates committee chairman, had also proposed names of a few SAI officials to accompany the Olympics delegation. (PTI)
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