THE first day of the Olympic week, initiated by the Maharashtra Olympics Association – MOA -on Monday began with a public meeting with six former Olympians – former women’s hockey player Rekha Bhide (who participated in 1980 Moscow Olympics), wrestlers Maruthi Adkar ( 1972 Munich Olympics), Ganpath Andhalkar (1964 Tokyo Olympics), Harishchandra Birajdar (1972 Munich Olympics), athlete Balkrishna Akotkar (1964 Tokyo Olympics) and boxer Manoj Pingle (1988 Seoul Olympics). The Olympians spoke of the time that they spent in the Olympic village and related experience. Besides honour in representing the country, all of them commonly spoke of lack of infrastructure and training for participants in their days.

“Even if there is more coordination between the current players and ex-players, there would be a better chance for players at the Olympics,” said Rekha Bhide, who was vice captain of the women’s hockey team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. With 45 days to go for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics 2008 in August, the MOA inaugurated the Olympic Week from June 23 to June 29.

In the previous Olympic years, the association held one-day meets, but this year it will extend to a week. June 23 is also the anniversary of the inception of the Indian Olympic Association in Pune in 1922.

On Tueday, the MOA is holding a lecture on Sports Medicine at the Army Sports Institute (ASI), at 9 am. On Wednesday, there will be a talk on the role of women in sports, on Thursday, lecture on fencing and basketball, on Friday there will be a seminar on India’s sports culture where National and international coaches and referees would participate.

There will also be a drawing competition on the same day for school kids at the New English School at 11 am. On Saturday, there will be a state karate competition.