PT Usha rues lack of felicitation for Paris Olympic medallists

New Delhi: President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) PT Usha on Monday expressed her profound disappointment at the extreme insensitivity shown by members of the IOA Executive Committee (EC) in failing to organise a felicitation ceremony for the Indian athletes who brought home glory from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

"India won six medals, with young shooter Manu Bhaker winning two medals, a first of sorts. No Indian athlete before this won two medals in a single edition of the Olympics, and I take pride I was able to help Manu in this journey. It is a matter of pride for me we had medals from Neeraj Chopra, Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kushale and the men’s hockey team as well but the EC does not want to celebrate their success, which makes me very sad," Usha said.

Usha highlighted that despite her repeated efforts and proposals, there has been no genuine commitment or initiative from the EC members to honour the Olympic medallists, an Indian Olympic Association statement said.

“These athletes have made the nation proud, and it is the responsibility of the IOA to celebrate their achievements with the respect they deserve. It is deeply concerning that, even after returning home in mid-August, the EC has failed to discuss or take any steps towards organizing a formal felicitation ceremony,” Usha said.

She also revealed that a proposal had been put forward to provide each Olympicbound athlete with a preparatory grant of Rs 2 lakhs and Rs 1 lakh for each coach before their departure for Paris. However, this grant was blocked by the Finance Committee and the IOA Treasurer, Sahdev Yadav, who did not process the payments.

"I strongly believe that this grant would have given our athletes and their coaches the support they needed in the crucial period leading up to the Olympic Games. The refusal to disburse these funds reflects a lack of understanding of the needs of athletes and shows a complete disregard for their preparation and well-being," she said.

The IOA President further pointed out that this failure comes due to the EC noncooperation despite the fact that a felicitation ceremony was organised under the previous leadership when Indian won seven medals in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. At that time, despite the challenging circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a good function had been organised.

"If my predecessors could celebrate the achievements of our athletes during a global pandemic, what is stopping the current EC members from doing the same? These medallists have worked tirelessly to bring honour to our nation, and they deserve to be acknowledged," Usha said.

Usha questioned the commitment of some EC members, some of whom are former athletes themselves, to the well-being of the current generation of athletes.

"As someone who has represented India on the world stage, I understand the importance of recognising the hard work, sacrifices, and victories of our athletes. It is disheartening to see that others in positions of power, especially those who have also worn the national colours, are failing to uphold this duty," Usha said.

The IOA had planned to give each individual medallist a cash award ranging from Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 1 crore and Rs 1 Crore to Rs. 3 crore and the respective coaches receiving anything between Rs. 15 lakhs to Rs. 25 lakhs as part of the official felicitation.

"By not following through on these plans, the IOA is letting down the athletes who have made our country proud. I urge the Executive Committee to take immediate action and ensure that our athletes receive the honours and recognition they deserve," she said.

Usha has always prided herself on being an IOA President who stands by the athletes, and she reaffirmed her commitment to continue fighting for their rights.

"Our athletes are the heart and soul of Indian sport. And I will not rest until they are given the due respect, support, and acknowledgment they have earned," she added.