DSO completes formality of holding Inter-School Athletic Meet on small ground

NAGPUR: The city is all set to get the much-awaited synthetic track soon but the situation at the grassroots is very bleak. School students from the rural areas don't even get to run on proper track in the competition leave, alone proper practise facilities.
The bitter truth came to fore again during the Inter-School Athletic meet held on the premises of Nehru Vidyalaya and Junior College, Hingna, on Monday.The so-called athletic track was where Divisional Sports Office conducted the meet for Taluka level in the age groups of Under-14, U-17 and U-19.
The participants, their coaches and parents were furious when they reached the venue in the morning. Several sports teachers pointed out the absent basic facilities to the organizers but to no avail. Sports teacher of Nehru Vidyalaya Raju Bhute was in-charge of the competition but he was not bothered about the conditions.
"There was a five-lane make-shift track that was not even 150 metres in length (against the norm of at least 200 metres). The surface was uneven with patches of grass midway and no proper marking with lime powder. We are fortunate we did not suffer any injury, " said a participant of 100m sprint event, Harshvardhan, a Standard VII student of School of Scholars, Wanadongri.
They wrapped up the meet within a couple of hours like a formality with half the events not conducted at all. The winners will qualify for the district meet to be held later in Nagpur.
Secretary of the Nagpur District Athletics Association Sharad Suryawanshi was not happy with the way young athletes were treated by the DSO. "Although I was not present at the venue, I got to know the details from the participants. The rules and regulations to conduct the meet were not followed. There should be at least six-lane 200-metre track for the meet. They should have conducted the competition at a proper athletics venue instead of holding it on the small school ground. We are ready to provide technical support but DSO never asks us," said Suryawanshi.
Dhanwate National College's head of department of sports, Devendra Wankhede, was present at the venue and he was shattered to see the poor conditions at Nehru Vidyalaya ground.
"We are denying the future athletes of our region basic facilities. This is not the way to encourage them to take up sports as a career. If they are made to run or compete in such hopeless situation, we are not going to achieve any big results in the international competitions," said Wankhede.
He also said that almost half the mandatory events were not conducted and all running events, including longer distance races, were run on 150-metre track.
When contacted deputy director of sports, Subash Rewatkar, promised to take strong action against District Sports Officer Avinash Pund.
"I will ask the concerned DSO Pund about today's meet. I will personally look into the matter and take proper action against the culprits," said Rewatkar.