Asian U-20 Athletics Championships | Pole vault athletes reach Korea, equipment stuck at Delhi airport
New Delhi: The participation of two Indian pole vaulters in the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships starting in Yecheon, South Korea on Sunday is in doubt as South Korea And Air India did not allow him to carry the equipment due to technical reasons. Dev Kumar Meena (men’s pole vault) and Sunil Kumar (decathlon, in which pole vault is one of the 10 events) are scheduled to compete in their respective events on Sunday but will fly to Seoul on Friday from South Korea without their equipment. left for South Korean Airlines has a tie-up with Air India. According to an official of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), even Air India refused to carry the ‘pole’ of these players on Friday. The official said Air India refused to carry three ‘poles’ of five meters each for the two players due to height issues. Read this also He told PTI, “Both these players have reached South Korea but their ‘poles’ are hanging at Delhi airport. Air India said that as per the current rules it cannot allow them to carry the five meter long ‘pole’. It is very strange that our players went to Busan in South Korea last year with a similar ‘pole’. The official said, “We have been going around since yesterday afternoon but Air India is not ready to accept. We are now trying to send their equipment to Korea with FedEx Express Cargo.” India’s 55-member contingent left for South Korea on Friday evening but the coaches accompanying the team were told that they would not be allowed to carry three ‘poles’ as well as the javelin. The Athletics Federation of India had booked the tickets through Air India with the help of a travel agency. Leaving two coaches, the Indian contingent left for South Korea. These two coaches stayed to carry the ‘pole’ and the spear. Later permission was given to carry spear but permission was not given to carry ‘pole’. The official said, “Both these players had brought their ‘poles’ to Delhi by domestic flight from Bengaluru and there was no problem then. I don’t know why this case is different this time.” He said, “These two players can participate in the competition even if they do not reach the ‘pole’, but usually the ‘pole’ is prepared by looking at the height of the player.” In such a situation, if they get more ‘poles’ of their size, then they can participate in the competition. They will not be able to perform at their best if they do not get ‘poles’ of their size.” A 55-member Indian contingent comprising 45 athletes and 10 coaches will participate in the competition to be held from June 4 to 7. (Agency)