A moist-eyed Pankaj Advani’s face encapsulated his emotions as the flag went up and the national anthem was played during the victory ceremony at the 2010 Asian Games.
The picture and many like that of cuesports achievers like Geet Sethi, Alok Kumar, Aditya Mehta and Brijesh Damani can warm the cockles of any Indians heart. But when 13 cueists from India leave for Incheon, South Korea, the players will compete at the Asian Indoor Games under the Olympic Council of Asia banner.
They will not be allowed to sport the tricolour or use ‘India’ on their attire and if an Indian wins a medal, then the national anthem will not be played.
Mehta, the 27-year-old snooker pro, who won a team snooker gold at the previous edition of the Games in Vietnam said, “Frankly it won’t make much of a difference to me. Of course when a player makes it to the podium and the national anthem is not played, we are bound to feel bad, but then, we may not be officially representing India, but that’s our nationality and we will be known as Indians wherever we go. The situation is a resultant of politics in sport and not the sport.”
On the other hand, Alok, a veteran who won a team silver in the billiards event at the 2007 Games in Macau, said: “Having represented the country for over two decades it’s a very different feeling, in fact I’m not even excited about playing this time.
“Events like these are all about playing for the country and when that does not happen, it’s very disheartening.”
The team also comprise four women, of whom Keerath, the youngest at 16, will be participating in her maiden multi-discipline event.