JOIN USTrack trouble for athletes as football takes root
There seems to be no end to the woes of the athletes training at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. Forced to limit their activities whenever a top-level football game happens at the venue, they were in for more shock on Monday when a junior football tournament cut in to their activities.
The athletes had nowhere to run with dug-outs placed right on the track and adding insult to injury, they were told to maintain silence so that the footballers are not disturbed!
“They had placed the dug-outs in the first four lanes and we had only four lanes to train. While we were using it, they started voicing their disapproval and when I objected, one of them even called the police in, for no reason,” said former international Pramila Aiyappa, one of the coaches at the venue. “Of course the police knew we were regulars there and are not trouble-makers. I asked the football guys, don’t you know how to respect a lady?” said an upset Pramila.
Former international and Arjuna awardee Ashwini Nachappa was equally aggrieved. “We have no other place to train in the city. This is the home of Karnataka athletics, whenever a football match is there, we are forced to step back. As it is, we are barred from shot put and javelin training at the venue. The 200M track is used by people to learn cycling. This is a sad state of affairs,” she said.
Senior coach V R Beedu echoed Ashwini’s sentiments. “As it is, our standard is dipping. If things continue like this, it will only go down further,” said Beedu.
The football tournament, an under-19 event, is being organised by the Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF, BSF, CISF, SSB, ITBP and Assam Rifles) with the boys’ matches at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium and the girls’ ties at the Bangalore Football Stadium.
An event to spot and groom talent, the tournament has come in the way of talented sportspersons from another sport.
The Bengaluru FC uses Sree Kanteerava as its home ground after a deal with the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports. The deal ends this year and Ashwini urged Sports Minister Pramod Madhwaraj to ensure athletes have their rightful place at the venue. “Even today, school-level tournaments are organised and you can see how the stadium is being used by the department/ organisers and players without respecting the athletes and coaches who toil every single day to bring laurels,” she wrote in a letter to the minister.
DH News Service