Paris 2024: India Flag Bearer Travels in Economy Class! PR Sreejesh and Hockey Team Members Return Home Unceremoniously

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Members of the Indian men's hockey team arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, with the pride of securing their second consecutive bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Among the group that landed were the legendary goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who retired after the Games, along with ⁠Amit Rohidas, ⁠Abhishek, ⁠Sumit Vyas, and Sanjay. While the rest of the team, including skipper Harmanpreet Singh, had returned earlier, these players stayed back in Paris to attend the closing ceremony, where Sreejesh had the honour of being the flag bearer, alongside shooter Manu Bhaker.

Their arrival in Delhi was met with enthusiastic applause and celebration, a fitting tribute to their outstanding achievement on the world stage. However, this joyous moment was shadowed by the revelation that these Olympic heroes were made to travel in economy class on their journey back from Paris.

A video, obtained by MyKhel, shows Sreejesh and his teammates seated in economy class on Air India flight AI 142 for the 8-hour 20-minute journey. To add to the disappointment, the players were not even seated together during the flight, an indignity that many felt was undeserved given their monumental accomplishment. The sight of these players, who had brought glory to the nation, cramped in economy class seats has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many fans and observers.

It's worth noticing that the other flag-bearer Manu Bhaker, who won a historic two medal at Paris 2024, was provided with an upgraded business class ticket to Paris and fro for the closing ceremony. Earlier, She briefly returned to her homeland after her double medal show.

The Indian hockey team, led by Harmanpreet Singh, showcased their brilliance throughout the competition. They secured victories against New Zealand, Ireland, and Australia in the group stage, while their match against Argentina ended in a hard-fought draw.

Their only loss in the group stage was to Belgium, the gold medallists from Tokyo 2020. The quarter-final match against Great Britain was a testament to their resilience, as the team, despite being down to 10 men for 42 minutes, managed a thrilling draw and advanced to the semi-finals after winning in the shootouts. In the semi-final, they faced a tough defeat against Germany in another gripping contest.

Despite these heroic efforts and their hard-earned medal, the decision to make them travel in economy class has sparked outrage. While it remains unclear if the earlier group of players faced the same treatment, the consensus is that Olympic medallists deserve more recognition and respect.

This incident brings to mind the contrasting treatment of the Indian cricket team, who, after winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, were flown back from the West Indies on a special chartered flight arranged by the BCCI due to a cyclone in the Caribbean. Even without the special arrangement, the cricketers would have undoubtedly travelled in business class.

The disparity in the treatment of athletes from different sports raises questions about the prioritization and recognition of achievements in Indian sports. While the hockey team's bronze medal is a source of immense national pride, their journey home in economy class serves as a reminder that more needs to be done to honour and support all of India's sporting heroes equally.