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Due to an IOC dispute, India’s three Winter Olympic athletes are barred from competing under their national flag.
For the first time ever, the Indian contingent — all three of them — will not be carrying the national flag at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics.
With billions of people worldwide expected to be watching on Feb. 7, India has lost a glorious opportunity to showcase the nation as an emerging power.
And it’s all because of Olympic charter violations from a year ago.
The country’s three Olympians will have to compete as independent athletes after the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Association in December 2012.
Shiva Keshavan will be the face of India as he competes in the luge singles, while India is also sending alpine skier Himanshu Thakur and cross-country skier Nadeem Iqbal.
IOC violations included electing leaders with pending criminal charges related to allegations of mismanagement and corruption in recent years.
After the suspension was laid, the association chose Lalit Bhanot as its secretary general — a man who had spent more than 10 months in jail on charges of corruption stemming from India’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
He stepped aside and the association agreed to hold fresh elections to address the IOC’s concerns, but it scheduled them for Feb. 9 — two days after the Games open.
The situation means that Keshavan, India’s most prominent Winter Olympics athlete, and the two skiers won’t be waving the Indian flag when they enter the stadium at the opening ceremonies.
If any of India’s athletes win a medal, the country’s national anthem will not be played during medal ceremonies.
Keshavan is most likely India’s only medal hope.
Amid this stark backdrop, Keshavan has held firm to his goal of winning the first ever Winter Olympics medal for India, even while competing as an independent.
“In my heart and mind, I’m competing for India,” he said. “Every day I’m flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. This is enough to push me forward.”
For a country of more than one billion people, India has a shockingly low Olympic medal count. Its athletes have collected just 26 Olympic medals, all from the Summer Games.
The cash-strapped Winter Games Federation had been on the verge of pulling the skiers out of the Games because of a lack of funds.
However, this week India’s sporting authorities released $16,700 (all figures U.S.) in state funds to buy ski equipment such as ski boots and other essential items.
Keshavan is already getting government funds and has raised money through his sponsors.
Amid this bleak backdrop, the country’s fortunes appear to be turning around.
At the London Olympics in 2012, India won six medals, its highest total ever. Those medals came in badminton, boxing, two in shooting and two in wrestling.
When it comes to sport in India, cricket ranks highest in the national consciousness.
Keshavan, however, was always in love with winter sports. The 32-year-old will be competing in his fifth Olympic Games.
In the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, at only 16, he became the world’s youngest Olympian in luge, and he was India’s sole athlete.
Walking at the Nagano opening ceremonies, Keshavan remembers feeling left out as the only competitor from India. Suddenly, he was comforted by the Jamaican team, who came up to him, and said, “Hey, man, we’ve got to stick together.”
He learned that no matter which country you’re from, Olympic athletes quickly form a bond.
Born to an Italian mother and Indian father, Keshavan grew up in a small mountain village at an elevation of 2,500 metres in the Himalayas.
He remembers his first hero was flashy Italian ski racer Alberto Tomba.
Keshavan was first introduced to the idea of sliding down a frozen hill as a teen, when he was shown some luge videos, followed by a screening of bobsledding classic Cool Runnings.
He had no idea then that he would one day be representing India at the highest level. And lately, his results have been improving.
He won the gold medal in luge in the Asia Cup in 2011 and 2012, and a silver last year.
“I’ve improved tremendously,” he said in an Olympics video posted on YouTube.
These results have come despite humble preparations. His country does not have a luge track, meaning he often trains on wheels, dodging goats and trucks as he shoots down winding Himalayan roads.
He has no personal coach, funds his training largely with private donations and built his luge sled in his garage.
Because he can’t wear an Indian uniform in the opening ceremonies, he’ll don a special cap made from red, gold and yellow patterned fabric symbolizing his home village.
“There’s nothing more we can do right now, it seems,” Keshavan said. “You can only do your best.”
Keshavan wants people to know he’s not a novelty act. He has serious luge aspirations beyond these Olympics.
“Even though we (India) still have a long way to go (in luge),” he said, “I think that we are on the right track, and I hope that I can contribute to create a legacy for luge in my country.”
Sochi 2014: Luge racer Shiva Keshavan set to represent India — just not officially | Toronto Star
For the first time ever, the Indian contingent — all three of them — will not be carrying the national flag at the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics.
With billions of people worldwide expected to be watching on Feb. 7, India has lost a glorious opportunity to showcase the nation as an emerging power.
And it’s all because of Olympic charter violations from a year ago.
The country’s three Olympians will have to compete as independent athletes after the International Olympic Committee suspended the Indian Olympic Association in December 2012.
Shiva Keshavan will be the face of India as he competes in the luge singles, while India is also sending alpine skier Himanshu Thakur and cross-country skier Nadeem Iqbal.
IOC violations included electing leaders with pending criminal charges related to allegations of mismanagement and corruption in recent years.
After the suspension was laid, the association chose Lalit Bhanot as its secretary general — a man who had spent more than 10 months in jail on charges of corruption stemming from India’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
He stepped aside and the association agreed to hold fresh elections to address the IOC’s concerns, but it scheduled them for Feb. 9 — two days after the Games open.
The situation means that Keshavan, India’s most prominent Winter Olympics athlete, and the two skiers won’t be waving the Indian flag when they enter the stadium at the opening ceremonies.
If any of India’s athletes win a medal, the country’s national anthem will not be played during medal ceremonies.
Keshavan is most likely India’s only medal hope.
Amid this stark backdrop, Keshavan has held firm to his goal of winning the first ever Winter Olympics medal for India, even while competing as an independent.
“In my heart and mind, I’m competing for India,” he said. “Every day I’m flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. This is enough to push me forward.”
For a country of more than one billion people, India has a shockingly low Olympic medal count. Its athletes have collected just 26 Olympic medals, all from the Summer Games.
The cash-strapped Winter Games Federation had been on the verge of pulling the skiers out of the Games because of a lack of funds.
However, this week India’s sporting authorities released $16,700 (all figures U.S.) in state funds to buy ski equipment such as ski boots and other essential items.
Keshavan is already getting government funds and has raised money through his sponsors.
Amid this bleak backdrop, the country’s fortunes appear to be turning around.
At the London Olympics in 2012, India won six medals, its highest total ever. Those medals came in badminton, boxing, two in shooting and two in wrestling.
When it comes to sport in India, cricket ranks highest in the national consciousness.
Keshavan, however, was always in love with winter sports. The 32-year-old will be competing in his fifth Olympic Games.
In the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, at only 16, he became the world’s youngest Olympian in luge, and he was India’s sole athlete.
Walking at the Nagano opening ceremonies, Keshavan remembers feeling left out as the only competitor from India. Suddenly, he was comforted by the Jamaican team, who came up to him, and said, “Hey, man, we’ve got to stick together.”
He learned that no matter which country you’re from, Olympic athletes quickly form a bond.
Born to an Italian mother and Indian father, Keshavan grew up in a small mountain village at an elevation of 2,500 metres in the Himalayas.
He remembers his first hero was flashy Italian ski racer Alberto Tomba.
Keshavan was first introduced to the idea of sliding down a frozen hill as a teen, when he was shown some luge videos, followed by a screening of bobsledding classic Cool Runnings.
He had no idea then that he would one day be representing India at the highest level. And lately, his results have been improving.
He won the gold medal in luge in the Asia Cup in 2011 and 2012, and a silver last year.
“I’ve improved tremendously,” he said in an Olympics video posted on YouTube.
These results have come despite humble preparations. His country does not have a luge track, meaning he often trains on wheels, dodging goats and trucks as he shoots down winding Himalayan roads.
He has no personal coach, funds his training largely with private donations and built his luge sled in his garage.
Because he can’t wear an Indian uniform in the opening ceremonies, he’ll don a special cap made from red, gold and yellow patterned fabric symbolizing his home village.
“There’s nothing more we can do right now, it seems,” Keshavan said. “You can only do your best.”
Keshavan wants people to know he’s not a novelty act. He has serious luge aspirations beyond these Olympics.
“Even though we (India) still have a long way to go (in luge),” he said, “I think that we are on the right track, and I hope that I can contribute to create a legacy for luge in my country.”
Sochi 2014: Luge racer Shiva Keshavan set to represent India — just not officially | Toronto Star
