Instead of hitting the headlines for their on-field sporting achievements, the Indian contingent at the Asian Games seems to be making news for its off-field antics
Instead of hitting the headlines for their on-field sporting achievements, the Indian contingent at the Asian Games seems to be making news for its off-field antics.u00a0
On Saturday, reports emerged that India's foreign gymnastics coach Vladimir Chertkov had left the Athletes Village after he was reportedly insulted at the opening ceremony night.
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However India's chef de mission Abhay Singh Chautala rubbished suggestions that the Russian had been treated badly. "Chertkov approached our additional chef de mission Mr Srivastava saying he wanted to attend the opening ceremony.
"However, he was casually dressed in jeans and a different coloured top and so we advised him to wear the appropriate attire. That's all that happened. Then, today he suddenly entered our office here, left his room key, didn't say a word and walked out," Chautala told reporters at the Main Press Centre here.u00a0u00a0
However, a loophole in Chautala's version of the story is evident from the fact that the Indian authorities have not yet bothered to find out the whereabouts of one of their contingent members.
"He has not informed us where he is going, so we do not know where he is at the moment," said Chautala. When asked if any official complaint has been filed, Chautala shot back: "He is not a minor that we should file a 'missing person' report for him."
Chertkov's run-in with the Indian Gymnastics Federation has been an open secret. Just before the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, he hadu00a0 criticised the Federation for denying Indian gymnasts the home advantage by delaying their practice session on the newly laid gymnastics surface.
He was also unhappy with the remuneration offered to him and the manner in which the Federation delayedu00a0 importing the required gymnastic apparatus for the CWG.
