Covid-19 hits Sports Dept revenue

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 14

The Covid-19 pandemic has left the UT Sports Department, one of the major revenue earning units of the Administration, grappling with losses due to shutting down of the local training centres.

Usually during this period, the department earns lakhs by allotting memberships at various coaching centres. Swimming pool centres — two at Sector 23 and one each at Sector 34, Mani Majra, Sector 43 and Sector 39 — are among the most popular training centres among the masses.

There are a total of 14 coaching centres catering to sportspersons and sports lovers in the city.

“We really cannot do anything about this. The pandemic has hit our centres and will continue to affect us in the upcoming months. In previous years, our centres have received a tremendous response,” said Tejdeep Singh Saini, UT Director Sports.

On plans to open these centres, Saini said: “We have to wait for government’s guidelines. However, swimming pools are likely to remain closed for this session, even if the government allowed opening of sports centres. It’s very risky and we have to see the feasibility — according to the number of cases here and best possible ways to deal with situations.”

Tournaments affected

Not only revenue generation but the pandemic has also affected annual sports calendar of the department. Two championships have already been postponed, while the calendar is yet to be announced. “Our coaches and staff have been performing other duties assigned by the Administration. There is no scope of discussing annual sports calendar at this hour. We need to assess which tournaments can be conducted in the coming months,” said Saini. The annual major tournament — Administrator’s Challenge Cup All India Football Cup — and other invitational tournaments are likely to be postponed or even cancelled.

Pressure on admission process

In case of no tournaments in the city, it will be difficult for local sportspersons to get admissions under the sports quota in various schools/colleges or to get benefits of various scholarship schemes. Every year, the UT Sports Department gives nearly 2,000 gradation certificates.

Sports gradation postponed

The process of issuing sport gradation certificates has already been postponed by the UT Sports Department. The fresh dates are yet to be announced.