India’s rowing contingent at the Asian Games is facing uncertainty after several rowers reportedly objected to changes made to their events and team combinations shortly before the competition begins on Wednesday.
According to the report, some athletes were shifted from their original events, while reserve players were brought into the main teams. One rower claimed that he was removed from his preferred event and replaced by a reserve following a meeting of team managers from participating countries on Monday.
The reported changes have caused considerable concern within the squad. Another rower said athletes who were dropped or moved to different events were “very disturbed”, with some reportedly refusing to eat after being informed about the reshuffle.
An official monitoring the rowing contingent also acknowledged the situation.
“It is very sad, but things are not rosy in the rowing team,” the official was quoted as saying.
Arvind Singh Among Those Affected by Reshuffle
One of the major changes involves Arvind Singh, the 2022 Asian Games silver medallist. He was initially expected to compete in the single sculls but has reportedly been moved to the quadruple sculls event.
Balraj Panwar, who was originally part of the quadruple sculls crew, is now expected to compete in single sculls.
There have also been changes in the men’s pair. Saurav Kumar and Vipul Satish were expected to form the first team but are reportedly set to be replaced by Nitin Kumar and Jaswinder Singh.
Reserve rower Jasmail Singh is also likely to be included in the coxless four event.
Rowers Question Extent of Changes
Navdeep Singh and Kulwinder Singh are reportedly being shifted from double sculls to quadruple sculls as part of the reshuffle.
A senior rowing official cited in the report said regulations permit changes involving up to 50 per cent of a crew in the event of a medical emergency.
However, some rowers have questioned the scale of the latest changes. They have alleged that the number of alterations goes beyond what would normally be considered a limited adjustment and effectively amounts to a complete overhaul of the entries.
With the Asian Games rowing competition scheduled to begin on Wednesday, the reported changes have left several members of the Indian contingent unsettled ahead of their events.