Stale meals, filthy toilets, no ramps and unclean drinking water, that’s what Para-athletes had to bear when they took part in the National Para-Athletics Championship held in Ghaziabad just a few weeks ago.

I am Pradeep Raj a Para-Athlete, President’s Medal Awardee and I feel that the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has let us down.

That is why I have started this petition asking the Sports Minister to reconstitute the Paralympic Committee of India with proper representation of para-athletes. Sign my petition.

Currently, the committee has only one member who is differently-abled. This is outrageous and needs to change.

If para-athletes are better represented on the Paralympic Committee our needs will be addressed properly. No one understands our challenges better than us. We deserve the right to govern our own affairs.

This is not the first time that the PCI has been questioned for its indifference and harassment.

Last year para-athletes were forced to sign a contract with a media-gag. Athletes who refused were told they would not be allowed to participate in the Asian Para Games in Incheon.

Just two years ago, the government took strict action against the Paralympic Committee and suspended them based on my petition with over 9000 signatures. If thousands of us sign this petition we can tell the Sports Minister that the Paralympic Committee needs to have para-athletes and not bureaucrats.

Sign this petition and ask the Sports Minister to reconstitute the PCI with adequate representation of para-athletes.

Thank you for taking action!

(Photo credit: TOI)