Days after the senior recurve and compound teams were forced to pull out of the 2019 Medellin Archery World Cup due to delayed flights, the Archery Association of India (AAI) has lashed out against the Sports Authority of India for its failure to handle matter.
Speaking to The Times of India, AAI secretary, Maha Singh said that the federation was unable to reschedule tickets for the participants as the sanction from the Sports Ministry came at the last moment.
“It is only the sports secretary who can answer the reason behind all the mess.”Maha Singh
The 23-member contingent that included Olympian Deepika Kumari, were slated to fly to Amsterdam on 20 April, where they had a one hour and 25 minute layover at the airport for their onward journey to Bogota and then finally to Medellin
But due to "operational issues" the flight to Amsterdam was delayed by two hours 53 minutes, therefore, resulting the team to miss the other flights to the final destination. The Medellin World Cup begins on Monday, 22 April.
Why the Delay Over Travel?
Responding on why the archers were sent for the tournament at the last moment, Singh claimed that the AAI had applied for the visa 75 days in advance and submitted application to the ministry to get the tickets issued.
"It is the federation’s responsibility until the visa process is finalised but getting the tickets is government’s responsibility,” he told the daily.
Singh further alleged that that the ministry is yet to respond to the federations' calls.
(With inputs from The Times of India)
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