NEW DELHI: Uneasiness is brewing in India’s rowing camp ahead of the start of the Asian Games competition on Wednesday, with several rowers expressing unhappiness over last-minute changes to crew combinations and event entries.Some athletes have alleged that they were shifted from their original events while reserve rowers were brought into first-team combinations following a meeting of team managers on Monday. The developments have left some members of the squad “very disturbed”, according to a rower who spoke to PTI on condition of anonymity.“Some rowers have not taken food yet as they are in a disturbed state of mind. They are not knowing what to do,” the rower told PTI on Monday.An official tracking the developments within the rowing team also confirmed that some athletes were struggling to deal with the changes.“It is very sad, but things are not rosy in the rowing team,” the official said.Asian Games Full Coverage | Schedule | Medal Tally
Rowers upset over last-minute changes
As per reports, the 2022 Asian Games silver medallist Arvind Singh, who was originally scheduled to compete in the single sculls, has been moved to the quadruple sculls. Balraj Panwar, who was part of the quadruple sculls combination, is set to compete in the single sculls instead.Saurav Kumar and Vipul Satish, who were to form the first-choice men’s pair, are set to be replaced by Nitin Kumar and Jaswinder Singh. Reserve rower Jasmail Singh is also set to be included in the coxless four.Navdeep Singh and Kulwinder Singh are expected to move from the double sculls to the quadruple sculls.A senior rowing official said 50 per cent of a crew can be changed in case of a medical emergency, while athletes have questioned the scale of the changes made this time.The rowers’ frustration was still evident on Tuesday, although they eventually returned to practice ahead of the competition.“We are going by what our manager has told us. We will be giving our best when we enter the water, but they shouldn’t have done this,” one of the rowers told TOI on condition of anonymity.“It has brought a lot of pressure and anxiety. I couldn’t sleep last night, I was very disturbed. A crew combination is set for six months or one year. We have been practising for long, and when it is changed one day before such a big competition, the athlete gets disturbed mentally. Crew combination is important in rowing. Someone who is not in quad (quadruple) for six months, what is he going to achieve in one day?”
Management cites shortened programme
The rowing management, however, has defended the changes, saying they were necessitated by the shortened competition schedule after heavy rains.Antony Patterson, India’s Australian head coach, said the priority was to maximise India’s medal opportunities rather than preserve individual event combinations.“Due to the shortened regatta programme, I as the chief coach has made the decision to focus on possible medals, not individual comfort of athletes,” Patterson said on Monday.Rowing Federation of India president Balaji Maradapa also said the revised schedule made it difficult for athletes to compete in multiple events as originally planned.“Originally it was four plus one day of races. Now it is just two days and four sessions of races each day. How can you be doubling,” Balaji said.The competition, originally scheduled to begin on Monday, will now be held on Wednesday and Thursday. Balaji said all participating teams had been allowed to change their entries following the revision in schedule.
‘We will do it for the country’
Despite their frustration, the rowers have vowed to put the controversy aside once competition begins at the Nagaragawa regatta course.“But it’s okay, whatever that has happened is God’s will. Whatever event we enter, we won’t give up until we die. Which ever athlete it is, he will give his life because this chance, this platform, is not something one gets everyday, but once in four years.“But what happened was wrong,” the rower said.He also said the athletes were informed about the changes rather than consulted, adding that their position within the Army made it difficult to openly challenge the decision.“We are under the Army. We compete as a team. If there is any indiscipline, we will never be able to row again,” he said.The rower, however, insisted that the squad would give everything once on the water.“Ye Hindustan ki baat hai, Tirange ki baat hai. We have come here to achieve something big, and we will,” he said. “We will do it for the country. We won’t return home without a medal.”India’s rowing campaign begins on Wednesday, with the team hoping to put the last-minute turmoil behind it and translate its preparations into medals.
