Kenya's John Kelai, on winning the Mumbai marathon, thanked the Indian 'hospitality' and promised to come back next year to complete his title hat-trick.
- Kelai, Seboka win Mumbai Marathon
Guests are treated as God in the country and the elite foreign athletes were rightly showered with five-star facilities, but the home grown runners yet again received step-motherly treatment at the Mumbai Marathon.
The organisers' apathy was brought to the fore by the winners of the half-marathon in a heated press conference, with men's gold medallist Surinder Singh thinking of giving the event a miss next year.
"We were promised accommodation in a five-star hotel by the organisers but when we came here there was nothing," said the army man. "I don't think I'll come back the next year if this is going to be the situation."
Six athletes, five of whom finished on the podium, flew in from Bangalore, where they are training for the indoor Asian Championship in Doha, only a day earlier to find themselves sorting out food and accommodation details rather than concentrate on the race.
"We didn't want to come to Mumbai," said Nasik's Kavita Raut, who won the women's half-marathon. "We are practicing for the Asian championship and this event was a hindrance to that. But the organisers requested a lot and promised that they will take care of the air-fare, accommodation and food."
The Athletics Federation of India co-ordinator, Rohit Pawar, who had requested the athletes to come, however said that only one of them, Raut, was promised the facilities and not the entire team.
"We had booked her in Hilton Towers but she didn't check in there," said Pawar. "Besides which we do not give facilities to half-marathoners."
The Indian contingent said that since they were training together it would be unfair to accommodate people in different places.
"Our Russian coach Dr. Nikolay said that all of us have to stay together," added Raut.
Preeja Sreedharan, the silver medallist, argued for the athletes' concern saying they were an important part of the event but were not treated as such.
"I came a day early and had to stay in a dormitory called Narsimha Lodge not far from the venue," said the Bangalore girl. "We are not asking for five-star accommodation but at least at some decent place. The place I was staying in had no security; I had to sleep with my luggage in hand."
As per the promised return air-fare, the three women together were paid Rs. 5000.
Though Pawar said that the organisers would be reimbursing the athletes later, the Indian runners refused to take the small amount and have asked for full payment.
"Our coach said that if we take the money right now the full amount will probably never come," said Raut. "I am saying this because it has happened earlier in Pune and Hyderabad, where we had to pay from out own pocket."
Surinder Singh was also disappointed that while Finland's Juti Utiranen, who stood second on the podium, was given facilities on par with the elite athletes, while the Indians were given a cold shoulder.
"I am not saying that the foreigners should not be treated well, but we deserve the same privileges," he said.
"Its not that we have anything against the organisers," offered Sreeedharan. "We are only speaking out because we don't want this to happen again in the future, either with us or any other athletes."
