Srihari Nataraj hit out at the KIUG organisers on Saturday.
Credit: DH photo
Bengaluru: Many medals were up for grabs in the swimming events of the Khelo India University Games (KIUG). But the conditions in which the swimmers were forced to compete left many participants frustrated.
Two-time Olympian and India's top swimmer Srihari Nataraj hit out at the organisers while expressing his displeasure.
"The temperature of the water here was as low as 17-18 degrees (Celsius). It was freezing," Srihari, who was representing Jain University at the Jaipur meet, told DH.
"The international standard for competitions is around 25-28 degrees (Celsius)," pointed out the 24-year-old. "Many swimmers, including me had fingers turning blue. A few had breathing issues. I mean, all we expect is things to be organised in a certain way that doesn't compromise our health or risk getting injured. It is disappointing to see one of the premier multi-sport events being arranged this way."
Though the swimming complex at the SMS Stadium in Jaipur is an indoor facility, the main competition pool is not equipped with temperature control system. And the water gets colder than normal at this time of the year here.
"The warm-up pool had a heating system but not the main pool. Another issue was there were no backstroke ledges (a device that provides support for the legs of swimmers at the starting point in backstroke races). We managed to compete without them.
"When we are made to swim in competitions without the basics being taken care of, it feels unfair. I could have walked away but I had a responsibility of showing up for my university and didn't want to let them down. We swimmers deserve better," said an irate Srihari.
Organised by the the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Association of Universities, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the respective National Sports Federations, it is the combined effort of all the entities to ensure the smooth running of the annual multi-discipline event.
When DH asked about the sub-standard conditions in which swimmers were compelled to compete, a SAI representative at the venue said that the sports body was only involved in funding the event and not the nitty-gritties of conducting a sport.
Monal Chokshi, the general secretary of Swimming Federation of India (SFI), told DH that providing proper infrastructure and ensuring ideal conditions for participants was the responsibility of the Sports Department of Rajasthan, the organising state of this year's KIUG.
"At the end of the day we (SFI) are not the organisers. We are only responsible for recording times, conducting and scheduling the events. As far as the infrastructure goes, we cannot say that we are not going to conduct the competition just because you have given us a bad venue," said Chokshi.