Issue over Indian Paralympic kit resolved, claims ministry

The Sports Ministry asserted on Wednesday that concerns raised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) regarding the kit of the Indian contingent have been resolved.

According to a statement by the ministry, the IPC had raised serious issues about the kit of the Indian contingent and had threatened to prevent the athletes from participating in Wednesday's opening ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Games.

"The Chef-de-Mission of the Indian contingent in Rio has informed that inspection of uniforms/kits of the participating countries is a routine affair in such mega events. This was done in the case of Paralympics 2016 as well. After the inspection, IPC made some suggestions to India as well as many other countries," the ministry said.

"The issues raised in respect of the ceremonial kit of the Indian contingent have since been resolved. Necessary corrections have been made which have been duly approved by IPC," the statement said.

"The Chef-de-Mission has reported that the Indian contingent is ready to participate in the opening ceremony to be held later today with full enthusiasm," it added.

The Paralympics, which is being held in the Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro from September 7 to 18, will see 4,300 athletes from 161 nations competing in 23 disciplines.

Apart from archery, athletics, boccia, cycling, para canoe, equestrian, football (five-a-side, seven-a-side), goalball, judo, para-triathlon, powerlifting, rowing, sailing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair fencing, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby, which featured in the previous edition as well, canoe-kayak and triathlon will make their debut at this year's Paralympics.

The 10 categories of impairment recognised by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) are impaired muscle power, impaired passive range of movement, limb deficiency, leg length difference, short stature, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis, vision impairment and intellectual impairment.

A total of 19 Indian athletes will feature in 10 disciplines at the Games, the largest ever Paralympic contingent from the country.

--IANS

ajb/vt