New Delhi: A ‘tainted’ physio’s presence in India’s archery contingent for Paris Olympics has raised eyebrows, making it the second time in successive days that it has been dragged into a controversy.
Physio Arvind Yadav’s inclusion in the squad despite accusations of making “inappropriate approach” to a Canadian teenager at the 2023 Youth World Championships has been questioned when there was no place for chief coach Baek Woong Ki and High Performance Director Sanjeeva Singh in the contingent’s support staff.
World Archery competition manager Thomas Aubert complained that Yadav made an inappropriate approach to a teenaged Canadian archer on social media. But the Archery Association of India’s ethics committee the charge, ruling he had only made a courtesy call the Canadian.
Yadav, who is believed to be close to AAI’s secretary general Virendra Sachdeva, claimed his innocence.
“It’s a conspiracy to malign me. Nothing of this sort has happened. Why didn’t AAI take action against me then? Also, the archers could have objected to my appointment,” Yadav told PTI.
AAI president Arjun Munda claimed that the archers wanted him, asking not to make it a big issue.
“Why are you raking this up? Let’s not talk about it. Let’s not create another controversy now,” Munda told PTI.
“This is somehow a tricky decision which depends on the players’ comfort and whom they want in the team and the federation gives priority to that. AAI doesn’t interfere in this, we don’t want to force someone in the team.”
No accreditation
Earlier, Woong Ki had to return to India as he wasn’t handed accreditation for the Games that begins in July 26, after training the team in Compeigne, 80km north of Paris, for 10 days.
The AAI has pointed fingers at the Indian Olympic Association for rejecting their requests” to accommodate Singh and Woong Ki, leaving the exasperated Korean announcing his intention to leave once his contract ends on August 30.
India will be aiming to win their maiden Olympics medal in archery at Paris 2024.
Physio Arvind Yadav’s inclusion in the archery squad of Paris Olympics despite accusations of making “inappropriate approach” at an event last year has been questioned Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
