21 August,2010 10:02 AM IST | | IANS
Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) secretary-general Sahdev Yadav yesterday lashed out at the government and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for being indifferent in helping them raise the $500,000 fine to the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) as a doping sanction.
The IWLF had paid $125,000 of the amount and had been pinning their hopes on the sports ministry and IOA to bail them out of the crisis. But as time for the Aug 31 deadline is running out, so are their hopes.
Both Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the sports ministry have refused any financial help to IWLF to repay the fine.
The sports ministry had asked IOA to resolve the issue immediately, but the IOA said that it can't help the IWLF financially as it would be seen as "abetment to doping".
If IWFL fails to meet the deadline, India will be barred from competing in any international event including Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games and the subsequent Asian Games in November.
Yadav wonders why they have been allotted budget for Commonwealth Games training if the players won't be able to compete at the Games.
"We have been sending letters to Sports Ministry and the IOA for help from three months but have got no reply. We have even asked them to give us a loan, which we will pay in due course but to no avail. The players are training hard and are happy with the facilities but their morale is down," Yadav said.
