To the editor:

Official statement:

Snow Shoe Federation of India had prepared a 15-member team for the World Snowshoe Championships 2017 to be held at Saranac Lake. The local community and officials recommended the case of all 15 members. However, as snowshoeing is a new discipline and we are not funded by any government body, we confirmed two members for this year’s championship. The athlete had furthermore been a part of last year’s team at Vezza D’Oglio, Italy, and ranked 31st in the event. The community stood by the federation to receive the team and even voluntarily funded a portion of their expense. The event concluded on the 25th of February.

The unfortunate incident involving one athlete of the team happened on the 27th of February, two days after the event. In spite of the seriousness of the incident, members of the local community have provided whatever support was possible to the federation official and the individual. We have absolute faith in the U.S. legal system and stand along with you witnessing the outcome of the legal proceedings

We would like to thank the entire Saranac Lake community for supporting the team to participate in this year’s event; the strength and character that the community has revealed is un-paralleled. You have stood behind sport and the federation, and have shown the world what sports spirit truly is.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. 

The real winners of this year’s snowshoeing event truly are the Saranac lake community, which deserves a standing ovation for exhibiting not only the determination to stand up for sport but also for their character in times of sheer difficulty. God bless us all.

Muddasir Mir, president

Snow Shoe Federation Of India

Gulmarg, Kashmir, India