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WFI flays Slamma for accusing Malleswari
Flying Slamma further, Singh claimed that during his six months stint in India the Egyptian coach was never satisfied with system here, reports Sharad Deep.
WEIGHTLIFTING FEDERATION of India (WFI) on Friday flayed India's outgoing coach Magad Slamma for unnecessarily cutting a sorry figure to the Indian weightlifters before the Beijing Olympics.
WFI chief Harbhajan Singh claimed that suing his 'proximity' with the chief of the International Weightlifting Federation, the Egyptian Slamma had become the coach of the Indian weightlifting team and wanted to 'run the show on his own.'
Singh, who also a former IPS of Uttar Pradesh, told Hindustan Times that Slamma didn't have any proper degree of training, and tried to disturb the system in the IWF and never paid respect to senior weightlifters like Karnam Malleswari.
"He (Slamma) is lying that Malleswari had become an IWF official when the WADA team visited the camp in Patiala," said Singh, adding, "To my knowledge, no team so far from WADA has visited the camp, and it wasn't possible for any camper to become official at the time when she was there as a camper only."
"Slamma's allegations hold no importance and in all previous dope tests of Indian lifters no one was tested positive. In last September-October too as many as 75 lifters were tested, but none was found positive."
Flying Slamma further, Singh claimed that during his six months stint in India the Egyptian coach was never satisfied with system here. "During Imphal Junior Nationals, he was criticizing his accommodation and fooding arrangements, whereas according to the availability we had provided him best things there."
He further said that Slamma wanted to choose lifters with 7-8 position finish in the camp, and had rejected the 1-2 place holders for the camp. "Actually, he wanted to pick his own choices for the forthcoming Asian Championship, which is also the Olympic Qualifying at Japan in April, but we didn't allow him to do so," said Singh, adding, "We have a system of selection, and no individual can be allowed to have his own players in the team."
