VIJAYAWADA: The recent monsoon rain has damaged the basketball, handball, and Kabbadi courts, constructed three months ago, in the Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium, in the city, thereby halting the training programmes of the players, preparing for the upcoming Olympics. Not just the three courts, the football, tennis, and cricket arenas have turned slushy and water has stagnated in the corners.
The recently installed lights in the basketball court had to undergo minor repairs following the rain. However, according to municipality sources, repair works have been undertaken and these courts will soon be back to normal condition. J Nivas, commissioner, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), said, “We have taken up repair works and the courts will soon be as good as new for the players to use those again.”
However, some of the players and coaches, who have intensified training for the 2020 Olympics, have in condition of anonymity, complained that the stadium, in general, had been ill-maintained during the past few years, despite repeated media reports emerging on the issue, and the recent rain has only added to their woes.
Venkat Namisetty, joint secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association and general secretary of Krishna District Judo Association, said, “We have been telling the authorities and yet they have not been very responsive. We need a stadium that is in good condition to train. However, Mayor Koneru Sreedhar has told me that it is not viable to develop the stadium as there won’t be any returns, because it is not a revenue generating investment. How can the authorities think about return on investment when this stadium is meant for servicing players, who have the potential to make the country proud in the Olympics tomorrow?”
The players, however, are an unhappy lot. “Local players like me, who are trying to train are unable to get proper training due to the bad maintenance of the ground,” said Harsh Vardhan, a judo player, who won a silver medal in Anantapur’s judo championship.
The VMC sources, however, point their fingers to reasons that have nothing to do with either rain or sports. They say that the growing trend of holding meetings in the stadium may be the main reason behind all the problems. A Shekar, the director, VMC sports wing, said, “We are unable to develop the stadium as there are constant political programmes conducted - a majority of those being the CM’s speeches. Due to this, any development work we undertake will come to nought, as it will be disrupted by arrangements made for the political programmes.”
The latest problems
The basketball, handball, and Kabbadi courts, constructed three months ago are damaged by the recent rains
The football, tennis and cricket arenas have turned slushy
Players and coaches involved in training for the 2020 Olympics, however, complain of general ill-maintenance of the stadium
VMC authorities say repairs are underway