JOIN USPoor facilities greet national para-athletes
The 19th National Para Athletic Championship got off to a rocky start on Wednesday at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here with several athletes complaining about lack of planning and sub-standard facilities at the event.
After a large contingent of over 1,000 athletes — which reached the city at a short notice - was made to wait for hours for accommodation, the wheelchair athletes had to cope with tattered and uneven ramps. Things only got worse in the evening at the meet which also runs as trials to pick athletes for the Tokyo Paralympics.
The measurements in events like shot put became an arduous task in the absence of flood lights and the officials were seen measuring distances using mobile torches and car headlights.
Many events also had to be postponed as lack of arrangements prevented their completion on the day.
“The first hurdle for us is to safely get in and out of the stadium without hurting ourselves,” said a wheelchair athlete.
They also complained of bad food. "The poor conditions and treatment by the organising committee has become a norm in almost every national championship,” lamented another.
Even the Sports Authority of India sought a report from Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for non-adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for prevention of Covid-19.
With the event having been shifted to Bengaluru at the last minute after Tamil Nadu conveyed their inability to host the event due to Covid-19, the oraganisers said they were short on time to get things in order.
Satyanarayana, Chairman of Technical Committee of the PCI, said: “We admit it and are not denying them (athletes’ complaints) at all. We are making all efforts to conduct the event without hassles. We got the permission from the Karnataka government only on Monday.
“Though the (PCI) circular clearly mentions that we aren’t responsible for accommodation, we have provided it,” he said.
“We had to conduct the event before March 31. We did what we could at such a short notice.” Satyanarayana added that the pandemic made it all the more hard for them to get the facilities in order. Citing SAI’s complaint over Covid-19 protocol, he said that regular announcements and requests are being made.
“We are doing everything but if individually they don’t follow the instructions, then what can we do?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Gursharan Singh, Secretary General of PCI, said that he has replied to SAI. “The main complaint was about not maintaining social distance. There was a complaint about lack of access as well.
“I have replied to SAI saying that the stadium is fully accessible,” said Singh adding that the crowding in the morning was due to athletes registering and coming to find out the finer details of the events.
He also confirmed, in the letter to SAI, that the passage to the track has also been fixed.