Top Athletes treated like slaves

Top Athletes treated like slaves

OP Jaisha one of the leading athletes of the country made some startling revelations in an interview to Mathrubhumi Sports masika. She did not get even a humanitarian consideration during the Rio Olympics forcing her to run the grueling marathon without water and energy drinks. It is the duty of the coach to ensure that proper facilities are provided to the athletes. Rubbing salt on the wounds, a canard was spread that it was Jaisha who refused water and energy drinks, an allegation which cannot meet even common sense. Anybody having an elementary knowledge of athletics and marathon will be aware of the requirements of water and energy drinks during the arduous marathon. Further Jaisha was not allowed to talk to anybody including the athletic officials. At the finishing point of marathon, Jaisha collapsed. The coach after checking her pulse telephoned an AFI official that Jaisha has dead, as if he wanted her to die. The committee appointed by the Ministry of sports squarely blamed the coach Nikolai Snesarev for the fiasco.  The report said “Ms. Jaisha’s coach, Mr. Nikolai should have been more careful in anticipating the requirements of Ms Jaisha during the marathon and projecting the same to the organizers. He also could have given the required advice/guidance to Ms Jaisha,” During the national Open Athletic meet at Kolkata last year, Jaisha came first in 10000 meters beating the existing record but did not get a medal because she was not registered for the event. All these show the dereliction of duty on the part of the coach. 

When I contacted Jaisha and other athletes Lalita Babar and Sudha Singh at SAI camp at Bangalore, they unfolded their sorrowful story.  The behavior of the ‘renowned coach’ Mr. Nikolai Snesarev was worse to say the least. He used to snatch their mobile phones depriving them to even talk to their family members. There were instances when he snatched their food plates saying that the quantity of the food they took is in excess of the requirement. Jaisha told me that she lost 6-7 KG weight due to excessive training (More than 1000 Km per month) and inadequate food. It is advisable for a fatty person to shed weight but Jaisha and other two athletes are already lean and thin. On several occasions they had to secretly cook food in their room to satiate their hunger. The coach is habitual of using abusive, insulting and derogatory language like “You bloody Indian” You stupid Indian” etc. Jaisha used to object to this while the other two athletes suffer silently. Had it been in any other country, he should have shown the door but we Indians are habitual of swallowing insults, humiliation etc. Once he even said something about her aged and infirm father which resulted in a quarrel. Even a convict or prisoner will be having more freedom than these Olympian athletes.

At the instance of Nikolai, his wife was appointed as the masseur who seldom do massage to the athletes. All of them were primarily trained for Rio Olympics. India is having the advantage of variety of climate at different parts of the country. Hence depending on weather conditions of the country, it is possible to conduct camps having similar climate. Despite the fact that weather at Rio during Olympics will be hot and humid, these athletes were trained all along at Ootty a place having chilly weather. The coach wanted a cozy living at the cool comforts of Ootty and the requirements of athletes is only secondary for him.

Jaisha was a middle distance runner and she never wanted to do marathon. However, the coach forced her to do marathon against her wishes. Change of track can be done at the initial stage of an athlete and not after 30+.  Lalita and Sudha were steeplechasers were also forced to participate in marathon events. Jaisha was misguided that running marathon will help her in middle distance run, but she was not allowed to return to her pet event. I was told that the coach used to claim commission-nay, snatch his share from the prize money they earned from Marathon. It is nothing but looting from the begging bowl of the poor athletes. It is pertinent to point out that the coach was least interested in the welfare of the athletes and he never fought for their genuine needs. This is evident from the fact that for practicing marathon for representing the country, these athletes had to buy costly shoes spending from their feeble pockets. Moreover, one pair of shoe lasts less than one month considering the strenuous practice of more than 1000 KM per month. 

In a hypothetical case, if the coach had treated the athletes like his daughters and showered them with love, affection, compassion and excellent support and training in the field of their choice (Jaisha for middle distance and Lalita and Sudha in steeplechase) they would have created wonders, probably by making a podium finish. A coach should have excellent rapport with his wards which he was sadly lacking. A coach should command love and respect from his disciples and not fear and hatred. Many of his actions and reactions were highly demotivating and demoralizing. All these cannot be construed as a part of discipline but it is nothing but arrogance, dictatorship, autocracy, high handedness, etc. If the athletes have performed reasonably well even under such hostile conditions, it is a standing testimony of their dedication, commitment, sincerity and hard work.

If such type of coaches continue to rule the roost, our expectations of an Olympic athletic medal will remain a distant dream. It is a pity that such people are engaged on fabulous fees and facilities and they in turn insult the country and its people and spoils the career of promising and talented athletes thereby deprive the country of its genuine dues.