India at Paris Olympics: PV Sindhu, Vinesh Phogat Personal Coaches Accomodated at Games Village At Cost of Boxing Team Masseur - Report

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Despite assurances of equal treatment for all athletes, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is once again facing challenges in accommodating the needs of both established stars and their personal support staff at the Paris Olympics.

While the Sports Ministry and other stakeholders have repeatedly claimed to cater to all athletes, reports suggest a prioritisation of big names. This has put the IOA in a bind, forcing them to find alternative arrangements for crucial support staff members.

In a recent development, a masseur for the Indian boxing team, Vijay Kamboj, will be moved out of the Paris Olympics Games Village. This decision was made to accommodate the personal coaches of two star athletes - badminton champion PV Sindhu's mentor Prakash Padukone and wrestler Vinesh Phogat's coach Woller Akos, reported English daily 'The Tribune'.

Kamboj will now be placed in a hotel, requiring him to travel daily to the Games Village and potentially even the North Paris Arena, the boxing competition venue, to provide his services to the athletes. This additional travel could create logistical hurdles and potentially disrupt his work routine.

Reports suggest that this decision was made under pressure from officials who are concerned about negative publicity. Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been vocal about the lack of support she received in the past, most notably at the Tokyo Olympics, where she blamed the absence of her physiotherapist for her performance. Officials seem to be prioritising the needs of big-name athletes to avoid similar public criticism on social media.

This incident highlights the ongoing tension between supporting established athletes and ensuring a level playing field for all competitors. While the importance of personal coaches and support staff is undeniable, the logistical challenges and potential unfairness towards other athletes should also be addressed.

“We have somehow made a system where stars’ demands are always met and we ignore other athletes. Prakash and the wrestling coach could have been housed outside and still could enter the Village through daily passes,” a source was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

“The masseur was needed with the team in the Village, but like I said, stars’ needs will always be prioritised even if it hurts others."

Even though he is being moved out of the convenient Games Village, the masseur will still receive financial compensation from the government in the form of dearness allowance and meal allowance.