The federation has written a letter to the Sports Ministry asking for an audience to air its grievances, saying if SAI does not provide enough barbells for training, it will send home the lifters training at the Army Sports Institute in Pune.
IWF secretary BR Gulati said the 60 lifters had been training for the last six months with just five barbells while they need at least 12.
“We have been running from pillar to post to get the barbells as the Games are just over a year away. SAI has been saying for so long that it is in the process of procuring the equipment,” Gulati said.
“We have lost patience and I have written to the Sports Ministry that either provide us the barbells or we will shut down the camp and ask the lifters to go back home,” he added.
According to Gulati, SAI has begun the tender process for buying 20-25 sets of the barbells but it will take a lot of time for them to be delivered to the lifters.
“If we have to wait for SAI, I think we will get the barbells in December or January next year. We have asked SAI to buy five sets immediately and get the remaining later.
“But SAI is not listening. So we have asked for intervention from the Sports Ministry,” he said.
