Mirza blasts Indian officials over team selection
Source: Agencies |
June 28, 2012, Thursday
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INDIA'S top woman player, Sania Mirza, blasted the national federation for using her as "bait" while working out a compromise during an ongoing row over team selection for the London Olympics.
Mirza said that her interests were ignored in a bid to pacify Leander Paes, who had threatened to pull out after being paired with little known Vishnu Vardhan.
Paes was asked to partner Vardhan after Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna refused to partner Paes in London.
The All India Tennis Association tried to pacify Paes by naming him to the mixed doubles team even though Bhupathi and Mirza recently won the French Open.
"As an Indian woman belonging to the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis," Mirza said in a statement after she was assured of playing mixed doubles when she secured a wildcard in the women's doubles.
"To Leander, I would like to point out that Vishnu is an extremely talented player. For Leander to consider partnering with Vishnu only if he has a written assurance from me to play mixed doubles is, I think, demeaning for me, Vishnu and Leander," said Mirza, who had won the mixed doubles silver with Vardhan at the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010.
"Mahesh has firmly stood by his commitment to play with his men's doubles partner, Rohan, as he genuinely believed it was good for India. However, in the process, he sacrificed the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal together," she added. "I am the only grand slam champion from India apart from Mahesh and Leander. I believe I can expect a little more respect from the federation," Mirza said.
Mirza said that her interests were ignored in a bid to pacify Leander Paes, who had threatened to pull out after being paired with little known Vishnu Vardhan.
Paes was asked to partner Vardhan after Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna refused to partner Paes in London.
The All India Tennis Association tried to pacify Paes by naming him to the mixed doubles team even though Bhupathi and Mirza recently won the French Open.
"As an Indian woman belonging to the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis," Mirza said in a statement after she was assured of playing mixed doubles when she secured a wildcard in the women's doubles.
"To Leander, I would like to point out that Vishnu is an extremely talented player. For Leander to consider partnering with Vishnu only if he has a written assurance from me to play mixed doubles is, I think, demeaning for me, Vishnu and Leander," said Mirza, who had won the mixed doubles silver with Vardhan at the Guangzhou Asian Games in 2010.
"Mahesh has firmly stood by his commitment to play with his men's doubles partner, Rohan, as he genuinely believed it was good for India. However, in the process, he sacrificed the commitment he made to me to try and win an Olympic medal together," she added. "I am the only grand slam champion from India apart from Mahesh and Leander. I believe I can expect a little more respect from the federation," Mirza said.
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