Hockey India chief slams IOA on ‘unfurnished’apartments in Rio

TIL Desk Sports/Hockey India President Narinder Batra launched a scathing attack at India’s Chef de Mission Rajeev Mehta and the other members of Indian Olympics Association, who are in Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympic Games. In response to a letter sent by the hockey team’s chief coach, Roelant Oltmans, to IOA complaining about the lack of basic facilities in the Games Village, Batra shared a picture in which players are living in ‘unfurnished’ apartments.

Batra shared the image above on social media targeting Mehta and the IOA. “You do not believe in acknowledging or replying to mails from Hockey India,” he posted on Facebook. In the picture, the players are seen lying on bean bags and the apartment is empty, without even basic furniture.

 “Dear Mr President IOA and Chef De Mission Indian contingent… have you all and IOA Staff who have gone to Rio, are on some kind of a Paid Holiday? (sic),” Batra wrote in his post.  He also mentioned part of Oltmans’s letter (on Monday) which said that “hanging in these bean-seats will lead to injuries in the long-term.  “Apart from 2 chairs and the 4 bean-seaters, there is nothing in the living room, nothing to hang clothes also.