New Delhi:
Confusion reigned supreme at the press conference on Friday to announce the flag and baton bearers of the Indian contingent for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games (CWG), beginning in New Delhi on Sunday.
Indian contingent Chef de Mission Bhubneswar Kalita first announced the name of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra as the flag bearer.
He then announced the names of Saina Nehwal, Sushil Kumar, Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, MC Mary Kom and Samresh Jung as baton bearers. But later, when asked by reporters to repeat the names of baton bearers he included the name of Bindra and left out Akhil.
Asked what led to the confusion, Kalita said, "Akhil's name was there in the list which was SMSed to me before I came in New Delhi at the PC. But in the list written on paper Bindra's name is there and not Akhil's."
It led to vociferous response from the reporters and Kalita said the conference was called only to announce the name of the flag bearer and not baton bearers.
"Being the Chef de Mission I was to announce only the name of flag bearer and the choice of baton bearers was done by the Organising Committee (OC). The OC will furnish a proper statement later on," he said.
OC vice-chairman and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) General Secretary Randhir Singh, who was present at the conference, said Bindra's name might not be there as "it would not be possible for the same person to do both the jobs of being a flag bearer as well as baton bearer".
"Please don't confuse Mr Kalita any more he is already troubled with may things," a visibly unamused Randhir said.
Amid all the confusion, Vijender and Akhil, who were also present, remained a mute specatator.
Kalita later said Bindra can do both the jobs of flag bearer and baton bearer and the original plan was that Bindra do the honour of running the last lap of the baton relay inside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"Each of the six will run with the baton for some 100m and Bindra was to be the last lap runner. But the OC will be the right people to take the decision. They will decide," he said.
Indian contingent Chef de Mission Bhubneswar Kalita first announced the name of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra as the flag bearer.
He then announced the names of Saina Nehwal, Sushil Kumar, Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, MC Mary Kom and Samresh Jung as baton bearers. But later, when asked by reporters to repeat the names of baton bearers he included the name of Bindra and left out Akhil.
Asked what led to the confusion, Kalita said, "Akhil's name was there in the list which was SMSed to me before I came in New Delhi at the PC. But in the list written on paper Bindra's name is there and not Akhil's."
It led to vociferous response from the reporters and Kalita said the conference was called only to announce the name of the flag bearer and not baton bearers.
"Being the Chef de Mission I was to announce only the name of flag bearer and the choice of baton bearers was done by the Organising Committee (OC). The OC will furnish a proper statement later on," he said.
OC vice-chairman and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) General Secretary Randhir Singh, who was present at the conference, said Bindra's name might not be there as "it would not be possible for the same person to do both the jobs of being a flag bearer as well as baton bearer".
"Please don't confuse Mr Kalita any more he is already troubled with may things," a visibly unamused Randhir said.
Amid all the confusion, Vijender and Akhil, who were also present, remained a mute specatator.
Kalita later said Bindra can do both the jobs of flag bearer and baton bearer and the original plan was that Bindra do the honour of running the last lap of the baton relay inside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
"Each of the six will run with the baton for some 100m and Bindra was to be the last lap runner. But the OC will be the right people to take the decision. They will decide," he said.
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