CWG Chit Chat: Two Indian athletes pull out of Games

The Indian contingent suffered a jolt on Tuesday with two athletes pulling out of the Commonwealth Games, starting in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Sachin Roby, who was to take part in men's 4x400m relay, has been suffering from jaundice for the last few days and will no longer be able to participate in the event, while para-athlete Sachin Choudhary has returned home due to deteriorating condition of his ailing father.

Chef de Mission Raj Singh told the Indian media that Roby will be sent home if permitted by team doctors.

"Roby was admitted to a local hospital here and he was diagnosed with jaundice. He was admitted to the hospital for four days," Raj Singh said.

"I have asked the team doctors if he can be sent back home in this condition. If the doctors say yes, then he will be sent home. Otherwise he will have to keep him here," he added.

Indian athletics team coach Bahadur Singh told PTI that Roby will be sent home after a few days when he is cleared for travel by a team doctor.

"Roby spent three-four days at the hospital due to jaundice and it has been three days since he has been discharged. He cannot take part in the Commonwealth Games as he will need at least one month (to recover).

"He is recovering and once the team doctor says he can travel, he will be sent back home," he said.

"We came with six 4x400m relay runners. Now, we still have five members out of which four will run. There is no need for a replacement," Bahadur Singh added.

Raj Singh also confirmed that Choudhary left for home on Monday after his ailing father's health deteriorated.

Para-sports manager Shankar Iyer told PTI that Choudhary was a medal prospect and he might return here if his father's condition improved.

"Sachin Choudhary is a medal prospect. He told me before leaving Glasgow that he will return for the competition if his father's condition improves," he said.

Para-powerlifting events will be held on August 2.

Iyer said Choudhary was a late addition to the team, which put the total number of Indian athletes for the Glasgow event to 216.

- NEXT: Bolt fit and raring to go in Glasgow

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt says he ready to put on a good show in the sprint relay at the Commonwealth Games after recovering from minor foot surgery and a hamstring injury.

The Jamaican, who missed nine weeks of training after surgery on his left foot in March, told Reuters he is back in sub 10-second shape after training twice a day to get ready for the event in Glasgow which starts on Wednesday

“It’s been rough, but I’ve been through it a couple times so I know what it takes to get back so I’m just pushing on and working towards what’s necessary for this season,” Bolt told Reuters on Tuesday morning during a training session.

His coach Glen Mills said that twice a day workouts were necessary to get Bolt ready to compete after he missed a lot of foundation work.

“We usually train in the morning when it is necessary, but it’s not the routine,” Mills said, noting that this year’s setback was a bit more severe than 2012 leading up to the London Olympics.

“Usain has lost quite a significant amount of training time and in his desire to at least run a couple races in the summer, in order to get in the sufficient amount of sessions, we have to double up training morning and evening,” Mills said.

The lanky sprinter, who also has eight world championship gold medals in his collection, said the surgery was necessary in this off year.

The 27-year-old, who has penciled in four 100m races over the next six weeks, says he did not want to miss the Commonwealth Games.

“I really wanted to run at the Commonwealths Games over the years…and although I got injured I see where I can run the 4x100 I see where I’m getting back into shape to actually compete in the 4x100” Bolt said, adding that he did not want to take anyone's spot in the 100m having missed the trials.

“I’m going there for my fans and I’m going there to show that I’m getting back into shape and they can look for great things now and for the years to come,” he said.

- Next: Boxer Evans ruled out of Commonwealth Games

Olympic medallist Fred Evans was ruled out of the Commonwealth Games boxing event on Tuesday after being refused accreditation following checks by the British Home Office and Games officials.

Welsh welterweight Evans, 23, a silver medal-winner at the London 2012 Olympic Games, did not travel to Glasgow with the Wales team, said British media reports.

No explanation for his refused accreditation was given.

The men’s welterweight boxing competition begins on Friday.

- Next: Malaysians appeal to have missing jacket shooter included

Malaysia's government has launched an appeal to Commonwealth Games organisers to have rifle shooter Nur Ayuni Farhana Abdul Halim reinstated in the competition after she was withdrawn because her jacket was lost en route to Scotland.

Ayuni, who won the Commonwealth Games gold medal with Nur Suryani Taibi in the 10 metre air rifle pairs in New Delhi four years ago, was left devastated by her team's decision after the garment failed to turn up in time for Monday's registration.

Malaysia team manager Musa Omar said a borrowed jacket did not fit, while Ayuni said a new one would take two months to get used to so he was forced to instead register Muslifah Zulkifli in the 10m air rifle and Suryani in the 50m prone.

However, there remained a glimmer of hope that Ayuni, who is still in Glasgow, could compete in the shooting competition which begins on Thursday.

"We will appeal on her behalf if we can locate the jacket," Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told the Malaysian Star newspaper in Glasgow.

"If not, then it will definitely affect our prospects of winning gold medals in shooting.

"It's really unfortunate that her jacket did not arrive from London even though Ayuni and the national shooting team landed in Glasgow on July 17. She’s devastated."

The Commonwealth Games kicks off later on Wednesday with the opening ceremony at Celtic Park.