Reports : IOA asks non-affiliate sports federations to bear expenses of uniforms and kits

The tussle between Indian Olympic Association and non-affiliate sports federations doesn’t seem to be ending as new controversies keep popping up every other day. According to reports from Mumbai Mirror, now IOA has asked non-affiliate sports federations to pay for the opening and closing ceremony uniforms and playing kits for their players participating in the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.

There would be 83 Indian athletes who would be representing the non-affiliate sports, which comprises of Sambo, Pencak Silat, Roller skating, Sport Climbing, Soft tennis, Kurash, Sepak Tekraw and Bridge with most of them making their debut in Jakarta and Palembang. According to the report, the opening/closing ceremony uniforms cost Rs 10,000 while the playing kit comes at a price of Rs 20,000 each. An official of non-affiliate federation stated that they already have limited funds and sometimes it becomes difficult for them to even run the game, hence, this would come as a huge burden on them. 

“This is unfair. Spending Rs 30,000 on each athlete will be very expensive. At times we find it difficult to run the sport owing to limited funds. How are we supposed to spend huge sums of money on uniform?” an official from one of the non-affiliate sports was quoted as saying.

“We’ve already been spending a lot of money. We’ve been given all the facilities possible as this would be our first appearance at the Asian Games. We had many players in the camp before the IOA decided to prune the squad. With already so much money put in for preparation, this extra cost comes as a huge burden,” another non-affiliated sport official was quoted as saying.

Athletes without the opening ceremony uniforms would not be allowed to be a part of the ceremony. Not wearing the appropriate playing kit would mean that the players could be penalized.

An affiliated IOA member, who is a part of the Equestrian Federation of India, weighed in on the matter, he said, “The IOA is giving us the uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies. But we will also be footing the bill for the in-competition dresses for our riders and horses. That comes to about Rs 50,000 for each rider and horse. So the seven-member squad will cost us Rs seven lakh.”