swimming pool
Representational photo.Reuters

Para-swimmers from India were forced to borrow money to meet ends at 2017 World Para Swimming World Series in Berlin as the funds allotted by the Paralymic Committe of India (PCI) did not reach them on time.

The championship took place between July 3-9.

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Kanchanmala Pande, one of the participants, had to take a loan of around Rs 5 lakhs.

She is blind and swims in the S11 category.

"I never thought I would face such problems. I had to take a loan of Rs 5 lakh so that I could participate in the tournament," Daily Mail quoted Pande as saying.

'I had to qualify for the World Championships and I don't know why PCI didn't understand its importance. I was not given any official confirmation if I will receive a reimbursement for the expense I bore. I had to pay around Rs 70,000 for the hotel and more than Rs 40,000 for food."

Olympian Abhinav Bindra raised the matter with sports minister Vijay Goel on Twitter.

Pande went on to win a silver medal in the 200m Individual Medley.