India’s no. 1 pole vaulters left to haul long poles on e-rick after national meet

Bhopal: National record-holders and international medallists Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar, both from Madhya Pradesh, were left stranded and to fend for themselves after setting a national mark at the National Athletics Championships in Ranchi, with organisers allegedly failing to provide transport back to their hotel.

The incident happened on Sunday evening. A viral video circulating on social media showed the two pole vaulters struggling to fit their long poles into an e-rickshaw outside the competition venue, exposing major gaps in logistical support for athletes competing in equipment-heavy disciplines.

“We had no option but to find our own way back,” Meena told TOI.

“Carrying poles in public transport is difficult.” The incident has renewed concerns over the treatment of athletes and the lack of planning for events requiring specialised equipment. “This is not an isolated incident; it reflects systemic neglect,” a former national coach said.

“Federations and meet organisers must plan for event-specific needs.” The Ranchi episode comes just weeks after another controversy involving pole vaulters at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. In early May, Tamil Nadu athletes returning from a national event in Odisha were left shocked after Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel allegedly cut the ropes securing their poles outside a train compartment, causing the equipment — each pole worth around Rs 1 lakh — to fall onto the tracks.

The athletes had to pull the emergency chain to stop the train and retrieve the poles. Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar themselves had faced a similar ordeal earlier this year. In January, the duo were reportedly deboarded at Panvel railway station in Maharashtra and detained for nearly five hours by a travelling ticket examiner because they were carrying poles.

“We were held for almost five hours and later fined about Rs 3,000,” Kuldeep Kumar had said after the incident. Following the Panvel episode, the Madhya Pradesh sports department had petitioned the Union sports ministry and Indian Railways to allow athletes to transport poles free of charge on trains.

“We requested an exemption to prevent further harassment of athletes travelling with long equipment,” the department wrote in the petition, sources said. However, no formal resolution has yet been communicated. “Simple procedural changes can prevent recurrence,” MP sports department officials said. Despite the repeated setbacks, Meena said the athletes remain focused on competing.

“We want to compete and bring laurels to the country,” he said. The recent episode raises fresh questions about whether meet organisers and governing bodies are doing enough to anticipate the specific needs of athletes, particularly in events requiring specialised equipment, as national championships continue across the country.