No arrangements were made for the physically challenged, the para-athletes said.
New Delhi:
Two para-athletes have alleged that they faced a lot of trouble trying to get into New Delhi's Indira Gandhi Stadium on Sunday to watch the final of the Pro-Wrestling League. The match had already drawn media glare over mismanagement that almost resulted in clash between fans and security personnel.
According to the athletes the mismanagement was appalling -- a far cry from the Commonwealth Games of 2010, when everything was made accessible for the physically challenged. "Was it for show?" asked many of the athletes.
The trouble had started with the car parking, one of the athletes said.
"Even though we have VIP passes and VIP car stickers, our car was not allowed to park in the VIP parking. They didn't allow us to enter, saying the seats were full," said Pradeep Raj. They had to park a long way off and had to cover the distance on wheelchairs.
But the biggest surprise, he said, was waiting inside. A member of the organizing committee told them that they couldn't go inside as it was "very risky".
"There is nowhere that a wheelchair can be accommodated, he said, adding, 'You should go home and watch it on TV. Why have you come here?'" Mr Raj added.
True to the warnings, no arrangements were made for the physically challenged, another athlete said. The seating arrangement made it impossible to accommodate wheelchairs.
"During the Commonwealth Games, the stadium was accessible for the disabled people. Was it only to show the world that we follow the rules?" asked another athlete. "When everything was accessible for us during CWG, why is it different today?"
The athletes blamed the organisers, the Sports Authority of India. "The biggest fault is that of SAI. They should have realised that if the stadium is not disabled-friendly they shouldn't have given us the passes," said Suvarna.
The SAI organisers could not be reached for comment.
According to the athletes the mismanagement was appalling -- a far cry from the Commonwealth Games of 2010, when everything was made accessible for the physically challenged. "Was it for show?" asked many of the athletes.
The trouble had started with the car parking, one of the athletes said.
"Even though we have VIP passes and VIP car stickers, our car was not allowed to park in the VIP parking. They didn't allow us to enter, saying the seats were full," said Pradeep Raj. They had to park a long way off and had to cover the distance on wheelchairs.
But the biggest surprise, he said, was waiting inside. A member of the organizing committee told them that they couldn't go inside as it was "very risky".
"There is nowhere that a wheelchair can be accommodated, he said, adding, 'You should go home and watch it on TV. Why have you come here?'" Mr Raj added.
True to the warnings, no arrangements were made for the physically challenged, another athlete said. The seating arrangement made it impossible to accommodate wheelchairs.
"During the Commonwealth Games, the stadium was accessible for the disabled people. Was it only to show the world that we follow the rules?" asked another athlete. "When everything was accessible for us during CWG, why is it different today?"
The athletes blamed the organisers, the Sports Authority of India. "The biggest fault is that of SAI. They should have realised that if the stadium is not disabled-friendly they shouldn't have given us the passes," said Suvarna.
The SAI organisers could not be reached for comment.
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