Sports Ministry set to reconsider decision, include managers in Asian Games contingent

Faced with severe criticism from various quarters on the composition of Indian contingent for the Asian Games, the government is set to make a U-turn and name managers in 23 disciplines out of 28 the country will compete in the multi-sporting event. Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta told PTI that the sports secretary has told him that the ministry will re-consider its decision. “I had spoken to the sports secretary about the difficulties the Indian contingent may face without managers in the 23 disciplines and he has given me a positive response,” Mehta said. [caption id=“attachment_1708347” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Indian Olympic Association Secretary General Rajeev Mehta told PTI that the sports secretary has told him that the ministry will re-consider its decision. AFP[/caption] “So, I am preparing the list of managers and I think the sports ministry will re-consider its decision (to exclude 23 managers). I think all the 23 managers will be cleared,” he added. While clearing a 679-strong Indian contingent for the September 19 to October 4 Games in South Korea, the government had dropped all the managers, except for five, who have been proposed by Indian Olympic Association. The Sports Ministry had also barred the IOA and NSFs from sending managers at their own cost. The IOA had made a request to the ministry to re-consider its decision to exclude the managers but Sports Authority of India Director General Jiji Thomson had said that the government would not make any changes in the list. The managers named in the sports ministry’s list, which was cleared on Tuesday after consultation with the Prime Minister’s Office include tennis star Sania Mirza’s mother Naseema Mirza, Rajan F Irani (golf), V K Dhal (shooting), Ramavtar Singh Jakhar (volleyball) and K D Singh (yatching). Mehta also said that he would request the government to extend the time period of visit of delegates to Asian Games from five to 10 days. PTI