Tensions boiled over in the capital on Thursday as a high-stakes send-off ceremony for the Indian para-shooting contingent, bound for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, transformed into a scene of bitter confrontation. What was intended to be a celebration of national pride instead became a stage for explosive allegations of corruption, nepotism, and systemic manipulation within the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).
As Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya arrived at the venue to address the athletes, the atmosphere was far from festive. A group of disgruntled para-shooters, led by prominent athletes Sandeep Kumar and Akash, staged a vocal protest outside the gates, demanding transparency and accountability in a selection process they claim has been compromised by greed.
A Selection Process Under Fire
At the heart of the controversy are the criteria used by the PCI to finalize the squad for the Aichi-Nagoya Games, scheduled for October 18–24. Protesting athletes contend that merit has been discarded in favor of personal vendettas and illicit financial incentives.
Sandeep Kumar, currently ranked third in Asia, and Akash, the continent’s top-ranked shooter, stood at the forefront of the demonstration. Both athletes were conspicuously absent from the official list of participants despite their superior rankings. Their frustration was amplified by the inclusion of Rudransh Khandelwal, who sits 14th in the continental rankings.
“They have ignored the ministry’s guidelines which mandate that the top six athletes be considered for selection,” Akash stated during the protest. “We have seen documents that prove international quota places were manipulated. In the national selection trials, we have evidence that scores were altered to favor specific individuals.”
Allegations of Extortion and Coaching Conflicts
The accusations leveled against the PCI and its Shooting Technical Committee (STC) extend beyond mere selection bias. The protesters have submitted a formal representation to the Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), detailing claims of “illicit monetary extortion” and a culture of intimidation.
Perhaps the most damaging claim involves the national shooting coach, Jai Prakash Nautiyal. Akash alleged that his own exclusion was a direct consequence of his refusal to name Nautiyal as his personal coach. “He cuts the names of those who don’t follow his lead,” Akash alleged. “For months, he promised to handle our administrative processes, but it was a ruse to maintain control and favor those who submit to his demands.”
Sandeep Kumar went even further, alleging a predatory financial scheme within the setup. He claimed that officials and coaching staff have pressured athletes to kick back 20 percent of their government-sanctioned cash awards as a “commission” in exchange for securing their spots on the national team.
PCI Defends Its Integrity
In the face of the mounting scandal, the Paralympic Committee of India has categorically rejected the allegations. PCI president Devendra Jhajharia, a legendary figure in Indian para-sports, spent a portion of the day attempting to mediate with the protestors. Despite his intervention—and that of head coach Satyanarayana—the shooters refused to disperse, claiming that previous attempts to raise these issues through official channels had been met with silence.
In a statement following the chaos, the PCI maintained that the selection process was conducted with full transparency, adhering strictly to established criteria. They argued that the final squad composition was based entirely on merit, dismissing the accusations of manipulation as unfounded.
However, the athletes remained unmoved by the PCI’s official stance. Sandeep pointed to the presence of questionable figures within the committee as further evidence of decay. “We showed the papers to the officials, but we received no assurance, no investigation, and no explanation,” Sandeep said. “They have placed people in positions of power—such as Vivek Saini—who have not even played a single competitive shooting match, yet they are making decisions on our careers.”
The Need for an Independent Inquiry
The protest has left the sports ministry in a difficult position. With the Asian Para Games just around the corner, the scandal threatens to cast a long shadow over India’s performance. The athletes are calling for a high-level, independent inquiry into the STC and the PCI’s administrative practices.
As the protesters noted, their concerns are not new; they claim to have been raising these issues for several days leading up to the ceremony, only to be told that their names would be added at the eleventh hour—a promise that never materialized.
“They told us not to hold this protest and that they would add our names to the list by 2:30 PM today,” Sandeep said, highlighting the perceived bad faith of the administrators. “How can they change a national selection list in hours when they haven’t addressed our grievances for weeks?”
As the Indian contingent prepares to travel to Aichi-Nagoya, the focus has shifted from the athletes’ podium aspirations to the integrity of the organization representing them. With serious charges of corruption and emotional pleas for justice echoing through the venue, the pressure is now on the Sports Authority of India to decide whether it will back the PCI or launch the independent investigation the shooters are demanding. For now, the reputation of India’s para-shooting program hangs in a delicate, and decidedly uncomfortable, balance.
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