Shocking! Poor athletes in Kathua told to run barefoot in 42°C

Sanjay Pathak

Kathua, June 3

In a bizarre way of “promoting” sports activities, the Jammu and Kashmir Youth Services and Sports Department has been holding sports event even as mercury has been topping 42 degree Celsius at Sports Stadium, Kathua.

Consequently, two girls fell unconscious yesterday while a boy suffered thermal burns and scalds today. The four-day inter-school zonal level athletics for under-14 and under-17 categories for girls and boys had begun on June 1.

The girls’ events concluded on Thursday where two girls fell unconscious and some fainted while competing in the sprint event amid scorching heat and that too barefooted.

Sports teachers concerned were seen holding the young children and taking them from track to pavilion. The medical team was on its toes all the day as the students were feeling uneasy after participating in various competitions due to high day temperature.

Sources said the Sports Department did not bother about the weather conditions and went ahead with the scheduled events. “The track was not properly maintained. Young runners suffered burns and other injuries due to stones and gravel lying on the track because they were advised to compete in races barefooted,” the sources said, adding that most of the students, who took part in the event, belonged to poor families and were unable to purchase sports shoes.

“We were advised to run on the track barefoot as school shoes were creating hurdles while participating in the race,” said Parveen Kumar, who suffered ‘burns’ in a 100-metre event.

The medical team, however, gave him treatment and advised to take rest.

District Youth Services and Sports Officer Sunil Kumar claimed the track was “properly maintained” as they had engaged labourers throughout the tournaments who cleared gravel and stones from the track. “We had made sufficient arrangement of water for participants. The tournament is being held as per the calendar issued by the department and we cannot change it at our own level.”