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| People stand behind newly erected barbed wire fences separating pedestrian walk and the road near Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, one of main venue for the Commonwealth Games, in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. The games are scheduled to be held Oct.3-14. |
Top officials of the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) and Athletics Federation of India (AFI) were among the first to get a surprise call from IOA officials after September 3 - the original date for all NOCs to submit entries by name - asking them to include more swimmers and athletes despite the fact that federations had already accommodated a good number through relaxed qualifying standards.
With Australia set to field a 52-member swimming squad, how can India, being the hosts, be left far behind? So the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) had sprung a surprise two weeks back when it included 17 more swimmers to a 26-member contingent. The 26 swimmers had been picked after a series of pruning exercises during the last two years. Their performance in three major events - junior and senior nationals and Federation Cup - was also taken into consideration while finalising the team. Though two of them - Richa Mishra and Jyotsna Pansare - were dumped from the squad after they were tested positive for methylhexamine, the federation had swiftly replaced them with two others, keeping the strength at 26.
It is learnt that the federation was reluctant to expand the squad but they succumbed to pressure. "They told us to give exposure to maximum number of Indian swimmers. So the selection committee met again to pick 17 more swimmers. But we have given opportunity only to deserving candidates," said SFI secretary Virendra Nanavati.
In a candid admission, Nanavati said he was apprehensive about the performance of the 17 swimmers. "I don't expect good performance from them," he said. He also cited the example of seven swimmers, who were included in the Indian team for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune in 2008. "They were last-minute inclusions and they fared miserably," he said.
Nanavati said the Commonwealth Games Federation has already given approval for the 17 new entries.
According to officials in the AFI, the federation has decided to add at least 13 more to the first list that had 95 names, including 10 in the women's 4x400m relay squad, against the permissible number of six. "After it was realised that India's total count is less than that of another NOC the IOA decided to act. Among those who were lucky to take part in the Games in athletics include a male pole vaulter and women's hurdler," sources told TOI.
Suspense continues
With the Delegation Registration Meetings (DRMs) set to continue till midnight on October 2 here in the city, the suspense on the start list, draw, seedings, order of events and competition schedules are in a total flux in most of the disciplines.
"As many as 12 sports are conducting their technical committee meetings on Oct 2 but with the DRM continuing till midnight the TCs won't be able to finalise the matters. This when most of the sports are set to roll from Oct 4. They should have kept a cut-off date for the DRMs to avoid this," they said adding that the result is that competition managers are unable to do any scheduling in the absence of entries.
The 11th hour work has also put the spectators, who want to catch the best of action, in fix. The spectators will have to buy the tickets without having any info on the match. "It's shocking that the OC has still not reeled out the big names to promote the Games despite the addition of more and more names to list of pull outs with each passing day," they said.
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