Players practice in park, village ground as sports complex shut

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 8

National and international players are compelled to practice at parks, village and school grounds as the Rajiv Gandhi State Sports Complex at the HSVP, Sector 6, here is shut for the past one month following the Covid lockdown.

Interestingly, both — the HSVP and the Sports Department — deny any restrictions on such players for the practice at the complex but the security guards deputed there do not allow them to enter.

“My friend, an international player, and I practice at a park in Suncity. It is not easy to maintain fitness on a simple track. My trials for the Paralympics Games are scheduled in Delhi this month, so I need to practice on the synthetic track and avail other facilities for a good preparation. But the players are not being allowed to practice at the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex due to the lockdown,” said Sandeep Mor, an international para athlete.

He maintained many players go to nearby villages daily to use their grounds for practice hence the authorities should grant special permission to all national and international players so that they can prepare for the coming events.

Manu Khatkar, gold medalist of shot-put event in 2017 Asian Youth Para Games, said, initially, he started practicing at a school ground in Madina village after the sports complex was shut last month but later, he had to shift to his native village in Jind district. “Now, I practice on my village ground and am waiting for the opening of the complex,” he added.

Another athlete questioned when all business establishments were allowed to open then why the sports complex was closed!.

“No player has been allowed to practice in the past one month. The restriction will continue till June 15,” said a security guard deputed there.

Shweta Suhag, Estate Officer, HSVP, said the HSVP had nothing to do with sports activities as it just maintained the complex premise. “We have not restricted any player from practicing there. Local officers of the Sports Department can answer if such a thing is happening,” she added.

Sharmila, acting District Sport Officer, said her department had deputed coaches there to train budding players, who were being trained online these days.

“We have not restricted any player from practicing at the sports complex. The security personnel have been deputed there by the HSVP,” she added.