PT Usha humiliated in Bhopal, breaks down

It is a well known fact that sportspersons in India are treated with little respect by sports authorities; PT Usha, the doyen of Indian athletics was denied proper accommodation at the National Athletics Meet in Bhopal.

The 'sprint queen', as she is known as, was asked to share her less than spectacular room with five others. The room did not even have hygienic conditions or running water. When she requested the authorities to provide her better accommodation she was blatantly refused. As a result Usha broke down into tears in front of the media. “I have no clue where would I go now. I was invited for the event but then I am not being provided with a room. Mr Gill is here and I have three-four girls with me. The only problem is I have no clue where would we go,” a teary-eyed Usha said.

"After all these years of playing at the national and world level an 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,” she added.

PT Usha was accompanying an athletics team as a coach at the National Open Athletics being held in Bhopal. This incident comes just ahead of the Commonwealth Games and paints an ugly picture for the event's preparation and management. Why has India been ignoring its non-cricketing sportspersons? After all Indian athletes did put up their best ever performance in the Beijing Olympics last year.

Just yesterday World Boxing Champion MC Mary Kom complained of sub-standard accommodation and food during National Boxing Championships.