The cloud of uncertainty over Indian team’s participation in the upcoming World Weightlifting Championships (beginning September 17 in Chiang Mai, Thailand) has been cleared. The Sports Ministry this afternoon gave the green signal to the nine-member team.
Till yesterday it wasn’t certain if the lifters, who had been preparing in Bangalore, will be able to represent the country. But late this afternoon the government gave its nod, lifting the sagging morale of the lifters as well as of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF).
The Thailand competition is the Olympic qualification round. Taking into consideration the current scenario, the IWF wasn’t certain the financial grant from the government—which has lately tightened the purse strings for federations—would be available.
Unlike in the past, the government has not given financial assistance to the federations, but is giving 75 per cent of the total allowance to the individual players taking part.
Despite this allowance the IWF was falling short of funds, which was a worry for the IWF. “We needed at least Rs 3 lakh more to send the squad,” disclosed Balbir Singh Bhatia, secretary of the federation. He said: “The government owes the federation over Rs 20 lakh. It would have been difficult for the federation to arrange that.”
According to Bhatia, currently the government has sanctioned about Rs 38,000 per lifter, whereas the total amount required is over Rs 60,000 per lifter. This includes entry fee and anti-doping fee. Thus the federation was falling short of Rs 22,000 per player.
With two days more for squad’s departure—the first batch leaves on Friday, Bhatia hopes he will be able to make some arrangements.
Talking of the medals in Thailand, Bhatia was modest in his response, saying there was no chance. But the main goal in world meet will be to accomplish the task of booking a passage to Beijing 2008. When asked how many lifters could get berths for Olympics, Bhatia said it will depend on the team as well as individual performance. “We have to earn a good number of points in the meet. If the lifters are successful in their venture, at least two berths are assured,” he said.
“Had the Indian lifters participated in the first round, prospect of winning more berth could have been bright,” he added. But due to the doping scandal, the Indian lifters had missed the opportunity to take part in the first round in December 2006.
Bhatia also sees India’s participation in Thailand as matter of salvaging pride. “We are back on track after all the controversies,” he added.
If Indian lifters fail to achieve a specific number of points in Thailand, all is not lost. They have two more chances to catch a flight to Beijing — in November, at the Commonwealth weightlifting championships, and in April next in the continental competition in Japan.
Squad
Women: N Soniya Channu (48kg), H Shaya Devi (53kg), Renu Bala Channu (58kg), T Inu Rani Channu (63kg), Monica Devi (69kg), Sumati Devi (75kg), Geeta Rani (75kg-plus). Men: G Elumali (69kg) and Sarabjit Singh (105kg plus).