More Than financial losses, missing Olympic culture is Mundra’s loss

By Paritosh Pramanik

Apr 22, 2020

HE HAS never missed a single major sporting event around the world in last 20 years. But the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought the entire world to a grinding halt, has forced globe-trotting Omprakash Mundra to reschedule his tours of 2020.
The young 70-year-old Omprakash Mundra, a steel businessman from Nagpur, has been travelling around the world, being part of each and every sporting extravaganza since 1982 Asiad in New Delhi. He was ‘part’ of all the major sporting events, be it the Summer Olympics, Paralympics, Winter Olympics, FIFA World Cup, Cricket World Cups, Wimbledons, French Opens, Australian Opens, to name a few.
This year, too, he was gunning for the Tokyo Games but his plans received a roadblock with 2020 Olympics postponed to next year due to COVID-19.
“Everything was in place. I had booked my air tickets last year (2019) itself. The opening ceremony and tickets of several events were also purchased. Even the stay at hotels have been booked. Being a sports lover, my wife (Premlata) and I wanted to see all sports. I had booked my stay at Tokyo till September because I wanted to watch the Paralympics as well. But the schedule has now gone haywire,” said Mundra, who was suppose to travel to Tokyo mid July.
There is very less chance of Mundra getting refunds. “I have written to Singapore Airlines either to reschedule my tickets or give me refund. But they said that their waiver policy is applicable for all bookings for travel upto May 31, 2020. Since my travel is for July 2020, this policy does not apply to my ticket,” Mundra told ‘The Hitavada’.
Mundra is least bothered about the refund. What he will miss is the chance to meet and watch world’s best athletes and learn different cultures.
“I love different cultures. I love to meet the athletes. I don’t care losing a few bucks. What I will miss is the sport and the sporting spirit, the culture of the host nation. I had booked my stay in Tokyo till September as I wanted to watch the Paralympics as well,” elaborated Mundra.
“I talked to the hotels where I have booked my stay in Tokyo and they said they would retain old bookings. My match tickets of different events will also be the same which I have booked,” a relieved Mundra said.
The city’s “sports fanatic” has purchased Olympics tickets for table tennis, artistic swimming, basketball, beach volleyball, athletics, Indian hockey matches, handball apart from opening and closing ceremonies.
If not only Tokyo Olympics, Mundra has already booked tickets for the ICC T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be held in Australia in October.
“If situation improves I would be leaving for Perth on October 15. I have purchased tickets for 15 matches including semi-final and final at Melbourne on November 15,” revealed Mundra.
“I am an optimistic person. I still believe that WT20 will take place,” said a self proclaimed diehard sports fan.
“Being ICC’s privileged member, I got match tickets at much cheaper rates. I would not lose much of money on tickets and air fares as they were also booked well in advance and at the cheapest rate. The thing is I am missing the sports very much. For the first time in my life, with no workout and physical movement, I am feeling old, which I never felt in my entire life,” concluded the 70-year-old sports enthusiast.