City's blind swimmer forced to beg in Berlin

India's lone Olympic individual gold medalist Abhinav Bindra expressed his disappointment on Twitter, asking accountability on the part of those responsible for the treatment meted out to the swimmers.

Jadhav and Pande both picked up silver medals, while the latter went a notch ahead to become the only Indian to qualify for the World Para Swimming Championships later this year. I had no money with me and I was fined €120. While the coach deposited my tournament fee, my escort's and sister Jaimala Pande's fee I had to pay. She even had to take a loan of Rs 5 lakh to sponsor herself for the tournament. From participation fee to lodging and boarding in Berlin, Kanchanmala had to arrange everything from the meagre amount she had. Pande who hails from Nagpur swims in the S11 category had to go through extreme misery to take part in the championship on behalf of the country after the money sactioned to them by the government failed to reach them.

"I had to qualify for the World Championships and I don't know why PCI didn't understand its importance". To prepare for that I need money for good coaches, kit, and diet. "PCI's duty was to inform Ministry if it was unable to further issue it on time, will be probed".

The ministry has taken a tough stand after the revelations.

Indian shooter and Olympian, Abhivav Bindra tweeted that the incident was "unacceptable", to which MoS-Youth Affairs & Sports, Vijay Goel, said funds were reportedly released to Paralympic Committee by Sports Authority of India. But the PCI later told us that they could not give us any money as their account was blocked.

City's blind swimmer forced to beg in Berlin

Kanchanmala said she had to write to the International Paralympic Committee when a coach was appointed to take care of the swimmers. Since the amount was transferred to the account of PCI, the players should not have been put to any hardship.

Goel, who immediately sought report into the incident from his officers in the ministry, said he also spoke to the PCI CEO. They have informed him that for some reasons the money was not further transferred by PCI to the team members. "The minister found this as very unfortunate and has ordered that a report from the PCI be sought in the matter within ten days", it added.

The PCI reasoned they did not have the powers to withdraw the money on their own.

The PCI, however, washed its hands off the incident, saying the sanctioned amount could not be distributed due to the non-availability of court-appointed committee chairman. He (Justice Retd. Kailash Gambhir) was not available to clear the funds.

The extent of official apathy can simply be gauged from the fact that PCI entered her in the 50m Backstroke which wasn't even her event.