By Awais Saleem, IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan’s contingent was mired in an unseemly row between its weightlifters and the chef de mission just before the Commonwealth Games’ ceremonial inauguration in New Delhi over who should carry the national flag at the march-past.
The weightlifting team threatened to pull out of the Games over what its members termed a slight to them by the contingent chief, who decided to be the flag bearer, prompting the Pakistan Olympic Association chief to intervene and promise “proper action” against the errant official after the Games.
The controversy erupted when the Pakistani contingent at the march-past was led by its chef de mission, Muhammad Ali Shah, instead of weightlifter Shuja-ud-Din Malik.
The television screen at the event flashed Shuja’s name as the man carrying the flag for Pakistan, but it was in the hands of Shah instead. Shah was also seen pushing Shuja back as the contingent entered the stadium and the weightlifter tried to come in front when the commentators announced his name as the leader of the contingent.
This created a huge uproar in Pakistan and the news channels repeatedly showed the footage of Shah snubbing Shuja. The weightlifter had clinched Pakistan’s solitary gold medal during the last Commonwealth Games in 2006 and was originally scheduled to carry the national flag this time.
Speaking to Dunya TV, Shuja said from New Delhi, “Dr Shah snatched the flag from me as soon as we lined up for the march-past”.
“I was shocked but remained silent because the national honour was at stake at that time,” he said, alleging that the “chef de mission also threatened to send me back home if I raised any hue and cry.”
Shah, a minister for sports in the Sindh provincial government, denied the allegation.
“We had not given any names to the organisers to lead the contingent and I don’t know why the name of Shuja Malik was announced by the commentators,” Shah said, adding that he decided “to carry the flag because several other chefs de mission were also doing the same”.
Following the snub, there was a verbal clash between Shah and weightlifting coach Rashid Shaikh and the latter threatened to withdraw his players from the Games if Shah did not apologise.
Shah said: “I don’t need to apologise because I have not done anything wrong. The gold-medallist weightlifter was trying to raise an issue out of nothing.”
Meanwhile, president of Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) Lt.Gen. (Retd) Syed Arif Hassan has jumped in to resolve the deadlock and the team has apparently decided to bury the issue at least till the Games are over.
Hasan called up Shuja and team coach Rashid and assured them of swift action in the matter. “We will take up this issue at the relevant forum and ensure that proper action is taken,” Express TV quoted the POA chief as saying.