Indian weightlifters Mirabai Chanu and P Gururaja on Thursday delivered the medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, despite not having their preferred staff members with them.
Weightlifters Chanu and Gururaja made India proud by winning a gold and a silver medal respectively, and Chanu even went on to establish a Games record for snatch, clean and jerk and the overall weightlift. Although they are happy to have clinched medals for their country, both Chanu and Gururaja are unhappy that their physiotherapists weren't allowed to travel with them to the Gold Coast.
“I don’t have a physio with me here in the competition. He was not allowed here, I did not get enough treatment coming into the competition. There is nobody, we did tell officials but nothing happened,” she said, according to PTI.
Chanu further added that she has requested the presence of her physio but so far the request has not been granted. “I had requested that my physio be allowed but he has not been allowed. But we are helping each other and managing so far,” she said.
Gururaja too said he has been unable to get proper treatment due to the absence of his physio. “I’ve sustained multiple injuries. My physio is not here, so I haven’t been able to get the treatment that I need for my knee and sciatic nerve,” he said.
The absence of Chanu and Gururaja's preferred physiotherapists was due to India's Sports Ministry's ruling that the number of officials for Indian contingent should not be more than 33 per cent of the total number of athletes.
In March, the Sports Ministry cleared a 325-member Indian contingent, including 221 athletes, for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. The contingent has 58 coaches, 7 managers, 17 doctors and physiotherapists and 22 other officials.
The 221 athletes and the 54 coaches will be given an out of the pocket allowance of $50 per day while the doctors and physiotherapists and 19 other officials (except for managers) will get $25 per day.
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