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Paris Olympics 2024: IOA faces heat over support staff accreditation for the mega event

Ahead of the start of the Paris Olympics 2024, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is facing extreme pressure over support staff’s accreditation for the upcoming Games in the French capital.

Interestingly, India’s archery coach from South Korea, Baek Woong Ki hasn’t been accommodated in the contingent. Furthermore, wrestler Antim Panghal confirmed that her coach and phsyio are yet to receive visas.

However, IOA chief PT Usha has stated that the apex body has been proactive in giving accreditations and visas for coaches and support staff members. Additionally, she blamed wrestling’s ad-hoc committee for not recommending Antim’s support staff on the list.

It’s worth noting that the Indian apex Olympic body has given accreditations for 68 coaches and 50 support staff for 117 athletes.

“Athletes are at the centre of our planning. Instead of the usual 3:1 ratio between athletes and support staff, we have worked hard to change it to a slightly better than 1:1 ratio,” PT Usha said in an official statement.

Archery head coach Beak Woong Ki hasn’t been accommodated by the IOA

It’s important to note that a 13-member medical team will also accompany athletes in the Games Village alongside IOA and SAI officials. Several top athletes’ personal coaches, trainers and physios have been accommodated.

However, some Olympic disciplines like wrestling, table tennis and weight lifting have more support staff members than athletes and for the same reason, all of them cannot be accommodated in the Games Village.

The Indian archery team head coach Baek Woong Ki, who propelled the Indian team to multiple successful results recently and helped the team to qualify for Paris 2024, has been left out for accommodation at the Games Village.

An official from the Archery Association of India stated that out of the six support staff names sent to the IOA, only four have been considered.

“Such last-minute changes would impact the performance of the team. When you have so many personal coaches being allowed in other disciplines, why are you leaving out the head coach of the team under whom Indian teams have given good results in the last two years,” the official said.

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