PTI
 
New Delhi, June 9: Poor team spirit and a below-par performance by spearhead Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand were to be blamed for India's dismal performance at the recent Chess Olympiad, a senior member and an official of the team has said.

The Indian men went into the Olympiad, played at Turin, Italy, from May 20 to June 4, as the second seeds and finished a poor 30th.

Anand could register only a 50 per cent score from his nine games but another key member of the team, Surya Shekhar Ganguly, felt that lack of team spirit was an equally important factor.

"I think our spirit as a team lacked a bit. Anand was staying in a hotel from day one and Sasikiran also decided to stay on his own after reaching Turin," Ganguly said.

"I personally feel they were right in their decisions as the accommodation provided to us was sub-standard," the national champion added.

Ganguly's point was echoed by Bharat Singh Chauhan, Treasurer of the All India Chess Federation and Asian Zone President, who was present in Turin in his capacity as the Indian women's team coach.

"There was no team spirit, it is not easy to win a medal in such tough competition unless you perform extremely well as a team.

"We are looking for ways to make sure it does not happen in future," Chauhan said.