|
 Winter sports languish at the bottom of the pecking order in
cricket-mad India, leaving athletes short on funding and crying out
for attention.
Three weeks before the Sochi Games commence, two of Keshavan's
skiing team mates are still waiting government funding to buy
Olympic standard equipment.
"I felt like quitting once a few years back, when I had no money — not just to carry on, but to even support myself for day-to-day
expenses," the 32-year-old told Reuters in an email interview.
"Countries invest four years of technology and money and other
resources, with the help of world class coaches and technology
companies, to develop equipment.
"I have had no such backing, and I have been resorting to borrowed,
rented and second-hand equipment in the past."
Born to an Indian father and Italian mother in a hamlet in the
Himalayas, the luger somehow always found good Samaritans along the
way.
"In the Nagano Games in 1998, I borrowed a sled from the Koreans
free of cost, in Salt Lake 2002 and Torino 2006, the International
Luge Federation (FIL) provided me with a sled, and in Vancouver
2010, a group of five Indian lawyers pooled in to buy me a sled," he
said.
Keshavan did get some help from the sports ministry but it took a
fund-raising campaign by Olympic Gold Quest, a non-profit
foundation, to get the right equipment for Sochi.
"Support does not come easy for winter sports in India, but I know
many athletes in summer sports too who face such problems," said
Keshavan.
The lack of support prompted him to rebel against his federation
over inferior attire for the opening ceremony in Vancouver four
years ago.
[to top of second column] |
Keshavan said there were "thousands of instances" of where India had
shown a lack of interest in winter sports. "But I prefer to remember the good moments which remind of
how much support I do have," said the former continental
champion, who won silver in last month's Asia Cup at Nagano.
UNDER OLYMPIC FLAG
Since making his Olympic debut as a wide-eyed 16-year-old,
Keshavan has gone on to become the face of winter sports in
India but is rankled by the fact that he and his compatriots
will have to compete under the Olympic flag in Sochi.
"It is embarrassing, to say the least, that a great country like
ours should be banned for serious reasons like ethics," he said,
referring to the Olympic ban on India for electing
corruption-tainted officials to its national committee.
"I am deeply saddened ... that some people think it is not
important for our flag to be represented in an event like the
Olympics."
Instead of the Indian tri-color, the luger would seek
inspiration from the special suit he will wear in Sochi.
Telecom company MTS is running an "India for Shiva" campaign
under which anyone who shares Keshavan's stunt-filled video
online will have their names put on his Olympic suit.
"I do not know the exact number, but there will be a few
thousand names on my suit, which is currently under production
in France," he said.
"I may not be allowed to wear the Indian colors as our country
remains banned, but I will be wearing every name of every
supporter at least."
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
