Bishweshwar Nandi has lashed out at Sports Authority of India (SAI) following the omission of several gymnasts including ‘medal hopeful’ Dipa Karmakar from the list for the upcoming Asian Games in China.
Despite topping the trials for the continental event, Dipa was considered ineligible for selection since she didn’t have a scored equivalent to what would have given her 8th rank in the last Asian Games since she hadn’t participated in any competition recently.
Through injury and doping ban, Dipa wasn’t able to compete.
“She (Dipa) told me she wants to be in gymnastics for the next 2-3 years and will not give up despite this. But this decision to randomly pull out some rule to stop gymnasts from going to Hangzhou will destroy Indian gymnastics,” Nandi was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
As per the rule, set on July 10, “In individual events during the last twelve months prior to the commencement of the event, the performance of the sportspersons should not be less than the performance achieved by the 8th position holder of the 2018 Asian Games in measurable sports.”
Nandi alleges that the individual who has applied the rule isn’t competent to do so and has used the criteria arbitrarily.
“He claims to be a coach and expert but he’s never coached any real gymnast on the mat. He’s never had a student who’s reached anywhere, and for 25 years he’s been doing a clerical job, but he got to decide who goes and who doesn’t. Indian gymnastics ka satyaanash kar diyaa (Indian gymnastics has been destroyed),” Nandi said.
“He’s not aware of ground realities. Let this person who applied the criterion get onto the ground, spot talent and coach them to any good level. Then he’ll know how things work in gymnastics in terms of peaking for a competition instead of making up rules arbitrarily,” Nandi added.
He also denies that Dipa admitted she wasn’t eligible.
“They asked us to send an application and give in writing, despite her topping the trials which the federation had informed SAI about. She only wrote the truth that she had been out of competition due to suspension and injury for two years, so she couldn’t fulfill the new criterion of a Top 8 finish in the last two years. How could she when she wasn’t in competition?” Nandi said.
Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) president Sudhir Mittal has backed Nandi and said Dipa meets the standards but the final decision rests with the Ministry.
“We feel she meets the standard. She’s been training hard, but couldn’t compete because of the suspension. Her fitness levels at the selection trial were very high. She’s a medal prospect as far as we are concerned. They told us she hasn’t obtained the desired marks and hence hasn’t qualified. Ultimate decision is with the Ministry,” Mittal told the publication.
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