NEW DELHI — India's winter Olympians have finally been given state funds to buy vital equipment needed to compete, less than two weeks before the opening ceremony in Sochi. Indian sporting authorities were considering withdrawing alpine skier Himanshu Thakur and cross-country skier Nadeem Iqbal from the Games because funds for kit and equipment had not been released. But the government Monday announced 1.05 million rupees ($16,700) for the pair, who are both competing in their first Olympics. The funds are meant “for purchase of sports equipment, ski, ski boots and other essential items for the participants of Winter Olympics,” the Sports Ministry said in a statement. India's third athlete Shiva Keshavan, who will be competing in his fifth Olympics, is already funded by the government and has raised money through his sponsors. The cash-strapped Winter Games Federation of India had been on the verge of pulling the skiers out of the Games starting in Russia's Sochi on Feb. 7 because of the lack of funds. All three will compete in Sochi under the Olympic flag instead of the national flag, since the Indian Olympic Association is serving a ban for electing corruption-tainted officials to its national committee in late 2012. Kesavan, meanwhile, says not being able to compete under the national flag will not harm his performance. “In my heart and mind I'm competing for India,” luge competitor Shiva Kesavan told the AP in an email interview. “Every day I'm flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. This is enough to push me forward.” “I've never been motivated by external fame or attention. I love my sport which is why I have been doing it for 17 years. If I do well, people will notice. My focus is my sport,” said the 32-year-old Kesavan, who is competing in his fifth Winter Olympics. Kesavan, who set an Asian record of 49.590 seconds in the Japanese city of Nagano in December 2012, conceded that winning India's first medal at the Games may not be realistic. “A medal is my aim but seems just a little out of reach at this time,” Kesavan said. “I'm simultaneously working with my in-house engineering team to build a sled which will be hopefully the fastest I have ever been on. But this will take some time to develop. Right now, I have to focus on getting four clean runs in Sochi, and be the fastest I can. “This season did not go according to plan due to lack of high level technological inputs, which I had hoped to get on time from certain companies. However, this has not deterred me, and I am determined, as always, to put up my best performance.” — Agencies
