Judoka seeks 'rightful' spot

Fri, Jun 20 01:10 AM

AN UNSEEMLY controversy is brewing in judo with a player claiming that she should be boarding the flight to Beijing for the Olympic Games ahead of the judoka who won a quota place for the country. Bittu Sharma, a -78kg judoka from Bhopal has been camping in the Capital for the last fortnight to convince the Judo Federation of India (JFI) officials that based on current form, she should be sent ahead of Divya who earned an Olympic quota place.

"I have been running from pillar to post, meeting JFI, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Sports Ministry officials but to no avail. The JFI says that since Divya has earned the country a quota place by earning points at the Asian Championships in 2007, she would represent the country at Beijing," said Bittu.

The CID inspector with Madhya Pradesh Police says that before she went on maternity leave, she was the undisputed champion in her weight category, winning 10 medals in various international competitions. And now that she had worked herself to peak fitness after delivering a baby, she should be given a chance.

She also alleges that, the JFI did not send her to at least half-a-dozen international competitions where she could have earned points and won a quota place. "This year, the JFI, for reasons unknown, did not send me anywhere except for the Asian Championships in Korea where I finished ninth and earned six points," said Bittu.

"What is the fun in sending a player who has not even participated in the nationals this year and is struggling to keep her weight in check for the 78 kg category. At the Commonwealth Championships at Mauritius this year, Divya participated in the +78kg category and was the only judoka from the country not to win a medal or bag points.

Moreover, she was not sent for the Asians in Korea because of her poor form," pointed out Bittu. "Why doesn't the JFI hold a fair trial and send the winner to the Games.

" JFI secretary Mukesh Kumar said the selection of a player is based on points and Divya has more points. "We will not hold the trials as JFI rules says either a player should qualify directly by winning a medal or by bagging maximum points.

How can we send Bittu when she has fewer marks?" he countered. "As for JFI not sending Bittu to half-a-dozen tournaments, those tournaments were not Olympic qualifiers," said the JFI secretary.

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