Updated on Tuesday, October 06, 2009, 11:50 IST Tags:PT Usha

Zeenews Bureau

Bhopal: The doyen of Indian athletics, PT Usha being denied adequate facilities is not just a one-off case but an incident that can well explain why India despite having a huge pool of talented individuals is not able to rise upto expectations at international level sports events.

The country’s best ever Olympics performance in Beijing last year had raised hopes of reviving the fortunes of Indian sports but incidents like these put a huge question mark over the optimism.

A day after World Boxing Champion MC Mary Kom complained of sub-standard accommodation and food during National Boxing Championships, it was the turn of flying queen PT Usha to face the humiliation.

PT Usha was accompanying an athletics team in capacity as a coach at National Open Athletics being held in Bhopal, when the organizers ensured that doyen of Indian athletics weeps in front of the gathered media.

Usha broke down in tears while narrating the horrendous tale of shabby arrangements provided to her and the young team during the event. A complaining Usha said, “ After all these years of playing at the national and world level a athlete wants some amount of respect from the officials, but forget that if PT Usha was made to share a room with five others then condition of a relatively new athlete can be imagined.”

The event comes as a huge shock to the nation which is preparing itself for a mega event like Commonwealth Games to showcase its might to world.

One being asked if incidents like this were the reason why India fails to perform at the bigger stage, a somber looking Usha said.

“It is because of this that parents do not encourage their children to take up to sports. If we want to win medals at Olympics and other important events, we will have to do something about it.”