The AFI official mentioned that Air India refused to hold three poles measuring 5m every for use by the 2 athletes, on the bottom of some “technical points” regarding prescribed size of the gadgets.
IMAGE: Even if the three poles don’t attain South Korea on time, the 2 athletes should compete on Sunday through the use of equipment of different opponents or these offered by the organisers however that may have an effect on their efficiency (Image used for representational functions). Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images
The participation of two Indian pole vaulters in the Asian U-20 Athletics Championship in Yecheon, South Korea, starting on Sunday was rendered uncertain after their equipment was not permitted in a South Korean flight in addition to an Air India plane as a consequence of “technical points” associated to size of the poles.
Dev Kumar Meena (males’s pole vault) and Sunil Kumar (decathlon, of which pole vault is among the 10 occasions) had been to compete in their respective occasions on Sunday however they left for Seoul in a South Korean flight on Friday, which is in alliance with Air India, with out their poles.
Even Air India refused to hold the poles in its 12:05am flight on Friday, in keeping with an official of the Athletics Federation of India.
The AFI official mentioned that Air India refused to hold three poles measuring 5m every for use by the 2 athletes, on the bottom of some “technical points” regarding prescribed size of the gadgets.
“The two athletes have already reached South Korea however their poles are stuck right here in Delhi airport. Air India mentioned they can not permit the 5m-long poles beneath the present guidelines. It is unusual that our athletes had gone to Busan (South Korea) with the identical type of poles solely final yr,” the AFI official instructed PTI.
“We have been working right here and there since yesterday afternoon however Air India shouldn’t be relenting. We at the moment are attempting, by way of our journey agent, to ship the poles to Korea by FedEx Express Cargo flight later as we speak. Let’s see,” the official mentioned.
In reality, all of the 55-member Indian contingent was to depart for South Korea from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 6:30pm Friday on Seoul-based Asiana Airlines flight, however the Indian coaches had been instructed that they’d not be allowed to take the three poles in addition to the javelins.
The AFI had booked the tickets by way of Air India with the assistance of a journey company.
“All the paperwork regarding bookings and baggage had been finished by Air India as they’ve a tie-up with Asiana Airlines. On May 26, a mail was despatched to Air India informing in regards to the variety of poles and javelins we will likely be taking to Korea, together with their dimension specification.
“But when the contingent reached IGI yesterday to board the flight, Asiana Airlines mentioned Air India has not knowledgeable them about it and so the poles and javelins couldn’t be allowed contained in the plane,” the AFI official mentioned.
All the members of the contingent save for 2 coaches left for South Korea boarding the Asiana Airlines. The two coaches had been held again to accompany the poles and javelins in an Air India flight to Seoul at 12:05am Friday.
“What was stunning was that Air India itself refused to hold the poles due to its size and a few technical points. We even went to the Air India cargo workplace on the IGI to let in the poles and javelins as cargo, however to no avail.
“The javelins had been lastly allowed and the 2 coaches, initially held again, additionally boarded the Air India flight,” the AFI official mentioned.
“The two athletes had introduced the poles in a home flight from Bengaluru and there was no downside then, do not know why it’s totally different in this case.”
Even if the three poles don’t attain South Korea on time, the 2 athletes should compete on Sunday through the use of equipment of different opponents or these offered by the organisers however that may have an effect on their efficiency.
“They should take part even when the poles don’t attain on time. But usually the size of the pole will depend on the peak of the pole vaulter, so they could compete in the event that they get poles of their dimension, in any other case they could not do their finest.”
The 55-member Indian contingent for the June 4-7 championships has 45 athletes, together with 19 ladies, and 10 coaches.
