New Delhi : Indian Olympic Games silver medalist pistol shooter Vijay Kumar expressed shock and disappointment over being ignored for the post of High Performance Coach (HPC) by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The SAI recently appointed five HPCs in various sports, including athletics, shooting, fencing, kabaddi, and archery. Despite fitting the criteria set by SAI, Vijay Kumar was not considered for the position and was not even informed of the decision.
According to news reports, having applied for the HPC position in February-March after SAI advertised for the post, Vijay Kumar, the silver medalist from the 2012 London Olympics in rapid-fire pistol and a five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, expected to be called for an interview. However, to his surprise, he discovered that the list of appointees was published on the SAI website without any communication to him.
Vijay Kumar, who is currently a Deputy Superintendent of Police with the Himachal Pradesh Police, expressed his shock over not being selected despite fulfilling the criteria for the post. He stated that the advertisement mentioned that Olympic medalists would be directly recruited for the position. Being a Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award recipient with numerous international accolades, he believed he was a strong candidate for the role.
The shooter highlighted that the person recommended for the HPC position has no major Asian or Commonwealth Games medals to their name. He mentioned that the individual in question has competed in four World Cups and Asian Championships but hasn’t won any medals. In contrast, Vijay Kumar has won a silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Games, making him a more decorated candidate.
In response to queries regarding the selection process, Vijay Kumar revealed that only an online application needed to be submitted, and he did not receive any confirmation or acknowledgment of his submission. He expressed his intentions to register a protest and address the matter with the higher authorities, including the Director-General of SAI, Sandip Pradhan, and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
Vijay Kumar’s disappointment over the selection process stems from the belief that only Olympians should be considered for the role of High Performance Coach. However, SAI has recommended someone with coaching experience with the Indian Air Force team and an attachment to the national team as a rifle coach.
The issue has raised concerns within the sporting community, and Vijay Kumar’s protest aims to shed light on the selection process and advocate for a more transparent and merit-based approach to filling crucial coaching positions.
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