Indian athlete Priti Lamba, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 3000m steeplechase event at the Asian Games on Monday, expressed her concerns about nations recruiting athletes from other countries to compete in the Asian Games. She specifically mentioned the Kenyan athletes sponsored by Kazakhstan and Qatar for these games.
In the same event, Parul Chaudhary secured the silver medal, marking the first time that India won two medals in a single steeplechase event for women. Notably, among the competitors was Daisy Jepkemei, who represented Kazakhstan but was originally from Kenya.
Priti criticized countries for importing athletes and stated, “This practice harms Asian athletes. Qatar sponsors Kenyan players to represent their country when they should focus on developing their own athletes instead of increasing their medal count through acquisitions. They should invest in nurturing local talent rather than recruiting players from other nations. The athlete who competed for Kazakhstan originally hails from Kenya.”
Priti also expressed her gratitude, saying, “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire nation and my family. I am married, and I especially want to acknowledge my husband for his unwavering support.”
(Inputs from ANI)