Sonowal pays surprise visit to NIS Patiala
Gagan K. Teja
Tribune News Service
Patiala, May 16
Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today paid a surprise visit to the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, and reviewed the facilities for India campers ahead of the Rio Olympics, including food, accommodation and training.
The Minister along with sports secretary Rajiv Yadav reached Patiala at 9.30 am and spent over three hours visiting different sports and academic blocks. He interacted with the national campers and had lunch with the sportspersons in the hostel mess.
No food supplements
While the coaches and athletes expressed satisfaction at the training facilities, the track and field coaches urged the minister to review the supply of food supplements to the sportspersons. For past nine months, the Athletics Federation of India has stopped providing food supplements to the athletes. The athletes rued that without dietary supplements their preparations for the Olympics are being hampered. As a result, athletes are forced to buy the supplements from their own pocket.
Sonowal assured that the food supplements would be provided within a week's time. Chief national coach Bahadur Singh and foreign coaches Yuri Minako (shotput and discus throw) and Dmitri Vinayagan, (100m, 4x100m relay) requested the minister for an indoor track and field facility.
Meanwhile, the minister also visited the recovery centre of the institute and saw various recovery facilities being provided to the campers. He also paid a visit to the Strength Training Hall, Weightlifting Hall, Faculty of Sports Sciences and also interacted with the students of the Six-week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching.
