Disabled athletes won't participate in some CWG events

Owing to lack of facilities, disabled Indian sportspersons will not be able to take part in a few of the 15 disability sporting events in the Commonwealth Games, an NGO said Tuesday.

Among the 15 disability sporting events are athletics, swimming and table tennis.

"If a nation does not do well in disability sports, its overall position will be impacted. As much as Rs.130 million was allocated to train disabled athletes, but when we asked the sports ministry as to what happened to that money they did not give any proper answer," Javed Abidi of the NGO, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) said.

"Disabled athletes here continue to suffer. In fact, it is learnt that India won't participate in as many as four events because we don't have sporty racing wheelchairs. Each costs Rs.200,000-300,000 which you and I can't afford but what about the Sports Authority of India," he asked.

To voice their angst, members of the NCPEDP along with disabled athletes are planning to stage a protest outside the sports ministry Wednesday.

"The sports ministry needs to be held accountable in this matter," Abidi said.