The recent being the Paralympic event at Peru-Para badminton championship where he clinched a silver medal after loosing to Brazil 22-24 and 18-21.
"Be it the disabled athletes or the abled ones, the Sports Authority of India should stop giving bol bachhan," says 28-year-old Girish Sharma, whose one leg has been amputated, but still plays badminton at Dadaji Kondev stadium in Thane.
Sharma bagged a silver medal in the Peru-Para badminton championship held last month, but now has to run for money to collect funds for the next tournament. He met with a train accident when he was two and lost his right right leg. But that has not deterred this youth from winning several medals for the country in international events.
The recent being the Paralympic event at Peru-Para badminton championship where he clinched a silver medal after loosing to Brazil 22-24 and 18-21.
"The sports authority wants me to sit on a wheelchair and play, unlike earlier when I played on one leg. That was a lot more easier, but now I have no option but to practise on wheelchair as they feel that I could damage the ligament and would be completely disabled," says Sharma.
"Unlike other sports for the abled, bad treatment is meted out to us – from booking flight tickets and hotel rooms, we have to pay from our own pocket. The sports authority should stop giving bol bachhan, as we have already been given lots of assurances in the past," adds Sharma.
"Our victory is a medal for the country. But we have to leave the practise aside and run after sponsors to collect money for the tournament. This affects our game," he says.
The Badminton Association Of India shredded off their responsibilities and a senior spokesperson said, "We are not responsible for para-badminton players; there's another committee who looks into their issues," said the official.
"A new body has been formed and we have discussed several issues with them. The para athletes will get all the necessary arrangement and their needs would be looked into" says Nandkishor Nale, president of Paralympic Sports Association, Maharashtra.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}