PTI
Rio de Janeiro, August 1: The Indian hockey teams at the Olympics are facing a shortage of chairs and TV sets at the Games Village and chief coach Roelant Oltmans complained Sunday that the players’ apartments are not properly furnished.
In a letter to the chef de mission of the Indian contingent Rakesh Gupta, the head coach of the men’s team complained about unfurnished accommodation provided to both the men’s and women’s hockey teams.
“The apartments of the Rio Olympics are not furnished properly,” Oltmans wrote in his letter. “For athletes who have to perform at top level during a longer period of the Olympics we need proper chairs and tables in the apartments for six persons. Actually there are only two chairs.
“For men and women we are using nine apartments, so there is a lack of 28 chairs and for seven apartments we need at least one table as well. In the staff apartments we’ve managed to bring in some tables,” he added.
The hockey coach also sought the permission of Gupta to buy three TV sets which will allow both the men’s and women’s team to watch live games played by the opposition. “It is a must and it will help them prepare better,” stated Oltmans. “As of now there is not a single TV set in any of the apartments.”
The Rio Games organisers have already faced complaints from Australia and several other teams about unfinished rooms at the Olympic Village.