A powerful photo of national record-holding pole vaulters Dev Meena and Kuldeep Kumar carrying their own poles while commuting in an e-rickshaw has gone viral, exposing the grim reality of athlete care in India.

Despite leaping to a new national record of 5.45 meters, these world-class athletes were left with zero official transport or logistical support.

This incident has ignited a national debate: why do we expect medals from our athletes when we fail to provide them with basic respect and infrastructure?

While everyone celebrates when a medal is finally won, this viral image serves as a harsh reminder that the "support system" often fails our sportspersons when they need it most, in their daily training and struggle to excel.