Wushu athlete Mepung Lamgu, who went incommunicado, confirms she is in SAI Hostel

Indian wushu athlete Mepung Lamgu, who had reportedly gone incommunicado, on Saturday said that she is currently in a Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel.

It was reported on Friday that Lamgu had gone incommunicado after being denied visa to travel to China for the Asian Games. She is one of the three wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh who were denied visas to travel to China for the Hangzhou Asian Games.

The news was confirmed to the news agency PTI by Lamgu’s brother Gandhi Lamgu, a doctor in Itanagar.

“Now she’s not even taking our calls, and it’s coming switched off. So we are also very worried about her, kahin kuch kar na de ro ro ke (hope she doesn’t take any extreme step as she is crying inconsolably),” Gandhi had told PTI.

The athlete has now confirmed on X that she is currently in a SAI hostel and is in touch with her family.

“I am alright and currently in SAI Hostel. I am in constant touch with my family and there’s nothing to worry about. Thanks for the concern and support,” she posted on X.

I am alright and currently in SAI Hostel.

I am in constant touch with my family and there’s nothing to worry about.

Thanks for the concern and support.

In the frame: Having breakfast with SAI officers. pic.twitter.com/jsSmupnr1R

— Mepung Lamgu (@LamguMepung) September 23, 2023

SAI also posted that the government is taking care of the athletes.

We stand with the three #AsianGames2022 bound Wushu athletes, taking the utmost care for them at this hour.

The 3 athletes are being taken care of at the SAI Hostel.#SAICareshttps://t.co/dyEFd9YGZf https://t.co/VFs0lH1067

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 23, 2023

“We stand with the three #AsianGames2022 bound Wushu athletes, taking the utmost care for them at this hour. The 3 athletes are being taken care of at the SAI Hostel,” SAI shared on X.

Mepung competes in wushu taolu-taijijian and taijiquan events. She along with two other female wushu players from Arunachal Pradesh — Nyeman Wangsu and Onilu Tega — were denied accreditation, which also works as visa, for the Asian Games.

The three wushu athletes were scheduled to leave for China on Friday night but had to stay back without clearance as their accreditation could not be downloaded.

Arunachal athletes have faced similar issue for an event in China earlier as well.

India had pulled out of the World University Games in Chengdu in July in response to stapled visas being issued to athletes from India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh.

With agency inputs