SAI director, shooter Joydeep at loggerheads over academy rent issue

Sports Authority of India (SAI) regional director Manmeet Singh Goindi on Tuesday alleged that Olympian shooter Joydeep Karmakar is yet to settle his bills for his academy at their training centre here.

Karmakar, who finished fourth in 50 metres rifle prone event in London Olympics 2012, had opened a shooting academy in association with the SAI Eastern Centre last year on the same date.

A year after, Goindi said the 37-year-old has not paid a single penny for his venture.

"He works for Railways. I think a NoC (No Objection Certificate) is needed to start a parallel academy in his case," Goindi told reporters on the sidelines of the All India 121st Beighton Cup hockey tournament.

"On top of that, he charges his academy students, but can't pay my rent. This kind of attitude is not expected from an Olympian. If you take a house and don't pay your rent, is that fair?" he added.

When contacted, Karmakar vehemently denied the allegations stating that Goindi believes in "malpractices" and is yet to produce a contract of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two parties.

"He (Goindi) does not believe in pen and paper I think. It has been twelve months and he is still to produce a contract," Karmakar told IANS over phone.

"I got a mail from SAI on November 29 asking me to clear my dues. I made the full payment on December 1 but even then he has locked my academy in which I have personal equipments. Some 50 children are under me and are suffering," Karmakar said.

Former shooters like Bivabasu Ganguly, who represented India in Asian championship and Dibyendu Roy, who took part in the Colombo SAF Games (in 2006) were trainers in the academy which is Karmakar's second after the one in Dankuni area in West Bengal's Hoogly district.

--IANS

dm/pur/vm