China funded Indian team to win water polo gold

BANGALORE:That China never let go even a
single medal
winning
opportunity at the just
concluded Asian Games is no
secret. They successfully lobbied
for the inclusion of popular
Chinese sports like Weiqi and
Xianqqi in the 16th edition of
the Games. They even denied
entry to a strong Indian
equestrian team to help the
Chinese riders.
But as strange as this may
sound, the same Chinese
authorities 'sponsored' a weak
Indian women's water polo
team that competed in the
quadrennial event. The China
Waterpolo Association worked
overtime to ensure that the
Indian eves arrived in
Guangzhou in time for the
competition. Their travel
documents were processed with
due diligence even as some of
the Indian journalists waited for
months to get the visa approval.
It spent around Rs 6 lakh for
the 15-member contingent's air
travel. Besides, the players were
provided accommodation at the
Games Village.
Why did China take such a huge
interest in the participation of an
Indian team? Reason: They got
one more gold medal from an
event which was on the verge of
becoming a non-medal sport.
Women's water polo, which
made its debut in Guangzhou,
had attracted only three entries.
So the presence of a fourth
team became inevitable to be
counted as a medal event. At
this juncture, CSA requested the
Swimming Federation of India
(SFI) to send the Indian team.
China spent a lot of energy and
money to get India's
participation. They got the
reward in the gold medal, a top
official from Asia Swimming
Federation told TOI on
condition of anonymity. Fancied
China clinched the gold,
demolishing the other three
opponents. Kazakhstan took
home the silver while Uzbekistan
claimed bronze.
The Indian eves, as expected,
cut a sorry figure, finishing at
the bottom of the table. They
conceded 96 goals in three
matches -- a whopping average
of 32 goals per match -- while
managing to score only six
goals. China and Kazakhstan
fired 38 goals each against India
while Uzbekistan pumped in 20.
Back home, swimming observers
raised a hue and cry over the
team's pathetic show. But SFI
general secretary Virendra
Nanavati remains unfazed and
defends the federation's
decision to send the team. "CSA
had offered an all-expenses
paid trip for our women's team.
Had we not sent our team,
waterpolo's future at the Games
would have been in jeopardy,"
he told TOI.
"We had picked the team for
the Commonwealth Waterpolo
Championship scheduled to be
held in the first week of
November in Chennai.
Unfortunately, it was cancelled
following the withdrawal of
Canada, England and New
Zealand. We had the team
ready at our disposal. When we
got the request from our
Chinese counterpart, we
decided to send them
immediately," he added. "We
wanted water polo to remain as
an event at the Asian Games.
The OCA may be tempted to
drop the event in the next
edition citing lesser number of
entries."
Nanavati also said the federation
did not take a single penny from
the players. "It's an all-expenses
paid trip. Then why should we
take money from the players?"
he asked.
On the composition of the team,
Nanavati said all the national
campers, who had a passport
when the invite came, were
allowed to go to China. "It is not
true that players from Police
were denied the opportunity.
Two Police players were there in
the camp, and only one had a
passport," he added.

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