Bengaluru: Eight Indian athletes, including Karnataka’s Supriya B and Sindhushree G, are stuck in New Delhi awaiting visas to travel to Japan for the Asian Games, with the prolonged delay threatening to eat into their cr…

Bengaluru: Eight Indian athletes, including Karnataka’s Supriya B and Sindhushree G, are stuck in New Delhi awaiting visas to travel to Japan for the Asian Games, with the prolonged delay threatening to eat into their crucial acclimatisation period ahead of the continental showpiece.Apart from high jumper Supriya and pole vaulter Sindhushree, the athletes awaiting clearance are hammer thrower Praveen Kumar, 200m sprinter Harita Bhadra, quarter-miler Kiran Pahal, heptathlete Anamika KA, triple jumper Asha Ilango, among others. Two coaches are also among those going through the ordeal.Asiad-bound athletes get a taste of Japan in Bengaluru The situation was not entirely unexpected as the athletes were late additions to the Asian Games list, with their names coming into the picture following the final selection trials in June. DH has learnt that the athletes have made two rounds to the visa office over the last 10 days but their travel clearance is yet to materialise.It is learnt that the accreditation for the eight athletes is yet to be ready, which could be one of the major reasons behind their visas being held up. They have, however, been assured that their accreditation will be ready in time for the Asian Games. The athletes need the visas earlier as they are scheduled to travel to Japan ahead of the Games to be part of the preparatory camp.They were once again at the visa office on Monday hoping for a resolution but with the Ganesh Chaturthi holiday affecting the process, they could now be forced to wait further.The lack of clarity has also left several of the athletes anxious and in a state of uncertainty. It is learnt that with little information coming their way on when the issue will be resolved, some are even wondering whether they will eventually be able to make it to the Asiad, which will begin in Aichi-Nagoya on September 19.Those involved in the process remain hopeful that the visas will come through and the athletes will reach Japan in time. However, even if the issue is resolved in the coming days, the prolonged wait has already begun eating into their acclimatisation period.The 70-odd Indian track and field athlete contingent, most of whom have reached Japan already, has a preparatory camp at Tsukuba University to help them acclimatise to the local weather, time zone and conditions before competition begins.At Lord’s, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya underscores India’s push to host 2036 Olympics Several attempts by DH to reach Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha and other senior officials for clarity on the delay and the status of the athletes went unanswered. IOA is responsible for sending the Indian contingent to the Asiad.It is learnt that the left-behind eight athletes did not figure in the initial long list of probables prepared earlier this year with the qualification process still underway then.The National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar in late June served as the final selection trials, following which several new names forced themselves into contention with strong performances.Supriya and Sindhushree, who also broke the pole vault national record, were among those who blossomed late in the season to earn their places.With the additions known since June, the possibility of their accreditation and visa paperwork requiring separate attention was already apparent. The accreditation of the eight is still awaited, unlike that of most of the contingent which has already travelled to Japan, resulting in the current situation.

Source: Deccan Herald