Will return medals if pool is not opened, say 2 Balangir swimmers

  • | Monday | 19th February, 2018

BALANGIR: Two professional swimmers have threatened to return their medals to district administration if the swimming pool inside Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo sports complex at Balangir is not made operational within seven days.The two swimmers have been protesting against the government apathy towards swimming. "We are going to return our medals, if administration does not take any action to open the pool. "Here swimmers cannot afford to continue the game without government support as most of them belong to poor background," he said. Our medals are of no use if we cannot participate in big tournaments," said Sukanta. We will take proper action after discussing the issue with the collector," said the ADM.

BALANGIR: Two professional swimmers have threatened to return their medals to district administration if the swimming pool inside Rajendra Narayan Singhdeo sports complex at Balangir is not made operational within seven days.The two swimmers have been protesting against the government apathy towards swimming. The swimmers got the medals at inter-district tournament held at Barabati stadium in Cuttack in 2015.The swimmers, Sukanta Chhatriya and Naresh Pradhan, recently met additional district magistrate ( ADM Laxmikanta Pyarelal Padhan and submitted a letter, demanding opening of the pool.For last three years, demand from various forums has been raised to open the pool for the public.The district swimming association and the civil society members have been writing letters to the sports department as well as district administration, seeking immediate steps to make the swimming pool operational, said a local.Sumit Kumar Purohit, secretary of district swimming association said, "Three years ago 15 youths wanted to make swimming a career but because of lack of infrastructure they gradually switched over to other professions."In November 2017, sports and youth affairs commissioner Vishal Dev had visited the pool and instructed the district administration to make necessary arrangements so that the swimmers can practise in the pool, but the administration has not taken any step to make the pool operational, said an official source.The pool was built in 2011 at a cost of Rs 50 lakh. But authorities have kept it locked on the pretext like technical problem and non-availability of swimming instructors, a source said.Sukanta said without practice in a standard pool, a swimmer cannot compete with other swimmers in a tournament. "Here swimmers cannot afford to continue the game without government support as most of them belong to poor background," he said."We are going to return our medals, if administration does not take any action to open the pool. Our medals are of no use if we cannot participate in big tournaments," said Sukanta."I have received their letter and conveyed the matter to authorities concerned. We will take proper action after discussing the issue with the collector," said the ADM.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Latest Cuttack headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles