Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) India’s star golfer Jeev Milkha Singh’s coach Amritinder Singh Tuesday faced harassment at the Milan airport where he was forced to remove his turban before being allowed to board the flight to Sicily in Italy.

Jeev, who was accompanied by Amritinder, protested but they were sternly told by the security officials that his coach could either remove the turban or not board the flight.

“It is a personal insult as I have travelled all over the world and even though security officials put their detectors around my turban, I have never had to remove my turban. For me, it is like being asked to strip in public,” said Amritinder in a statement.

“I also told them that they could look at my passport and see that I am a sportsperson and have never been humiliated like this, but they refused to comply. I even told them that this is not security but harassment,” he added.

“I belong to a country whose Prime Minister wears a turban, and I feel that my nation should take up such issues with other countries. I do not want to stand in the way of safety regulations, but a person’s personal privacy has to also be respected,” said Amritinder.

Jeev, son of legendary athlete Milkha Singh, said it was a horrifying incident.

“My father wears a turban and I would be horrified if he was told to remove it unnecessarily and unrespectfully in front of hundreds of people,” said Jeev.

Amritinder is currently travelling with Jeev for three tournaments on the European leg of his schedule and will be playing the Sicilian Open this week.