Indian tennis star Leander Paes has not been allotted a room in the Rio Olympics games village. Speaking exclusively to Times of India , the seven-time Olympian, who arrived in Rio de Janeiro Thursday evening, said he was extremely disappointed with the treatment dished out to him.
Because he was granted no room, Paes reportedly had to change in the Chef De Mission Rakesh Gupta’s room. India’s non-playing captain/coach Zeeshan Ali supported Paes and asserted that the tennis player never said that he would not live in the village.
“I am slightly disappointed that having played six Olympics for India, I haven’t been given a place to stay. I was playing a tournament in New York and took the first flight on its completion. The match got over at 8 and took a 10.45 flight to Rio,” Leander said. Of the three rooms that have been assigned in the apartment, one is with Zeeshan, and the other two have been given to Rohan and the team physio.”
Paes however, on arriving, practiced late in the evening with Zeeshan for an hour for a potential match on Saturday, August 6. “There have been speculations that Leander has complained that he doesn’t want to share a room with Rohan (Bopanna), but there’s no truth to it.
I and the organisers were aware that he was to reach Rio on Thursday (August 4). Sure he will be low on time for the match on August 6, but he practiced on arriving will be ready for the match,” Zeeshan said.