Dimapur | December 5: female participant of the just concluded Hornbill International Motor Rally, held as part of the Hornbill Festival, is crying foul over the conduct of the motor racing event. The competitor, 31-years old H. Lemei Phom, who was one of four racers in the women’s category (Below 1500cc) has alleged that she was denied a place in the podium during the prize distribution ceremony, despite being adjudged as second-placed finisher in the ‘Time-Speed-Distance (or TSD) segment of the race.
Speaking to The Morung Express in Dimapur on December 5, Phom said that according to the provisional results released by the judges after the final race held on December 2, she was placed second behind eventual winner Kezevinuo Keditsu, with Khrienuo Sakhrie on third and Kishan Shohe on fourth place. The results were subsequently declared the next morning on December 3, while the prize distribution ceremony was held the same evening. However, she was greeted with an unpleasant surprise during the ceremony as her name and her navigator’s did not find mention in the winners’ list. If that was not enough, she was relegated to fourth place, while the third and fourth placed finishers were declared as second and third placed finishers respectively. Phom said that she also finished first in the women’s ‘Autocross’ segment, wherein there were only two competitors. Following the shock, she approached the organizers of the race.
The organizers did not give much explanation, rather chose to term it as a ‘technical problem’ instead of rectifying the blunder, Phom said. It was her maiden shot as a driver in a competitive motor racing event.
Taking it as a matter discriminatory in nature, the Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union Dimapur (ENSUD) also approached the organizers, NAMSA, on December 4. A senior representative of the union told The Morung Express that the organizers stuck to the earlier ‘technical problem’ explanation, while requesting the union not to go public with the matter. The union was told that the members of the organizing committee will be discussing the matter on December 5 and come back to them on its outcome by the same evening. However, word never came back, the representative disclosed.
“They (organisers) told us they will compensate the competitor”. The issue now is not about the prize money due to the aggrieved participant, rather of fairness and integrity of the competition. The act of the organizers appears deliberate and a case that, more or less, points to blatant gesture of favouritism, the ENSUD representative said.
ENPO, ENSF advised to withdraw from Hornbill Fest
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 5 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland Students Union Dimapur (ENSUD) while strongly condemning what it termed was an “act of discrimination” by the Nagaland Adventure Motor & Sports Association (NAMSA) on Miss H. Lemei Phom who participated in the International Motor Rally, has advised to the ENPO and ENSF to withdraw the six tribes from the ongoing Hornbill Festival. “ENSUD strongly appeal to the ENPO and ENSF to intervene into this matter and bring amicable justice to the right person”, stated a press note issued by ENSUD President P. Honko Luklem and General Secretary Setsipa Sangtam.
The ENSUD has also sought “concrete clarification from NAMSA within 24 hours from the time of releasing this press notice” pointing out that if “any consequences or incident arises out of it the NAMSA will be held solely responsible”. The ENSUD in its press note expressed shock and dismay that the NAMSA had “intentionally discriminated and ignored Miss H. Lemei Phom who was entitled to 2nd position as per the declaration of the provisional result as published by the NAMSA on December 3, 2011”. “But she was completely denied of her entitled 2nd position”, the press note alleged. “Is it because she belongs to Eastern Nagaland? Why the 2nd position entitled to Miss H. Lemei Phom was taken away? Why the organizers were intentionally implementing the policy of favoritism”, the ENSUD questioned.
