PCI refuses to bear the registration fee of the team

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk,SportsCafe Editor

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The Paralympics Committee of India (PCI) has refused to bear the registration and boarding/lodging fee of its contingent who are traveling to 2018 World Para Powerlifting America’s Open Championship in Colombia. The body has stated that the athletes have not settled their dues with organizers.

PCI's refusal of bearing the costs is coming from the unsettled dues of the para powerlifters arising out of their non-participation at a tournament in Japan. And as per the rules of the international federation, no participant can participate in the future IPC event which has not settled their earlier dues with their organizers. However, this championship would be a direct gateway to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, which makes it extremely important for India.

According to the PCI’s Senior Vice President Gursharan Singh, the PCI had sent 15 names to the ‘Kitakyushu World Para PowerLifting Asia-Oceania Open Championship” and only four people actually went to participate, thus leaving the PCI raising a hefty invoice. 

Talking to TOI, Gursharan said, "One needs to understand the subject. Those events which are a part of the Annual Competition and Training Calender (ACTC), the PCI finds the trip of Para Athletes since we get the funding from Sports Authority of India (SAI). Those events which are not a part of ACTC, some are funded by the PCI while the rest of the athletes have shelve from their own pockets. The Japan and the upcoming Bogota championship aren’t a part of ACTC. 

"For the Japan tour, we sent 15 names but only 4 went. The organizers weren’t concerned about that part. They had made preparations to host 15 para powerlifters and hence raised the invoice based on the registration fee and the boarding/lodging cost of 15 athletes. Some athletes who did not go simply submitted the medical or some said since the para Asian Games are approaching they wanted to give Japan meet a skip. Now why should PCI make payments for lifters who did not take part in the tournament.” 

Gursharan added, “The organisers rules are clear- if you have an unsettled bill, your entries won’t be accepted. We are ready to pay the remaining amount to the Japanese, but what’s the guarantee that these powerlifters would not do the same thing again? So we have asked these participation athletes to deposit money in PCI’ bank and only then will we send their entries.”

One of the participants, Basha told TOI,” Those who submitted the medical will not pay anything to PCI, the rest should pay. For the Bogota Championships, all four are committed to going and the PCI should make the payment to the organiser.” 

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