KOCHI: With the new set of office-bearers of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC) slated to meet on Wednesday, a group of Olympians have demanded that functioning of the Regional Sports Centre (RSC) here be restructured.
In a letter sent to Sports Minister E P Jayarajan, former international athletes M D Valsamma, Mercy Kuttan, Rosa Kutty and T C Yohannan, along with former international footballer O Chandrasekharan, have asked that the RSC be brought directly under the control of the sports council. The centre comprises the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, a tennis complex, a small artificial football field, a 25-metre swimming pool and a 10-metre shooting range.
"The RSC, which was established to identify sports talents in Kerala and nurture them to international standards, now faces a situation wherein it is affordable only for an elite section of society. The fact that it is currently functioning as a private club where deserving sportspersons are denied opportunities and the Kerala Government's norms are ignored is dousing the hopes of Kerala sports," said the Olympians in the letter.
Pointing out that the indoor stadium was being rented out for private functions like marriage, they said," using the facilities after amending the regulations, without consulting the sports council, can only be seen as challenging the sports council and the government."
Refuting the allegations, RSC secretary S A S Navaz said that the centre was providing training facilities to all deserving sportspersons.
"The RSC does not discriminate between children of members and non-members. Around 400 of the 600-odd regular trainees at the RSC are children of non-members. Also, the members do not make use of the facilities when regular coaching sessions are on. And if we charge fees for life membership, it is for meeting the costs involved in maintaining the facilities. We need around `15 lakh per month, which we meet without any aid from the government," said Navas, adding that the stadium was rented out for not more than 40 days in a year.
The RSC office-bearers have also sought an appointment with the Sports Minister to present their version.