Sochi: Veteran luger Shiva Keshavan admitted the controversy surrounding India’s exclusion from the Olympic movement had left him feeling flat in Sochi as his fifth Winter Games got off to a subdued start on Saturday.

Keshavan, 32, has been forced to compete under the International Olympic Committee (IOC) flag and the resentment of not seeing the Indian flag fly proudly at Friday’s opening ceremony was still burning deeply on Saturday as the opening two rounds of the luge got under way.