TIRUCHY: The district sports complex, where the district-level games for the Chief Minister Trophy 2024 is under way, was witness to commotion on Thursday as a section of parents and their female wards who had arrived to participate in silambam competition resorted to a flash protest.
The protesters complained that the organisers allowed candidates weighing 40 kilograms and above alone to participate, which they said was unfair. As per the itinerary of the Chief Minister Trophy 2024, which commenced in Tiruchy on Tuesday, silambam competition for girls was scheduled on Thursday.
Accordingly, around 500 participants from both schools and private sports clubs began arriving at the stadium early in the morning on Thursday. However, the participants, their trainers and parents expressed shock when they learnt that only those weighing 40 kilograms and above could participate in the event.
Participants weighing less than 40 kg were asked to leave, causing many of them to break down in tears, with their parents equally shocked. Around 200 candidates along with their parents, and others, then staged a sit-in on the stadium premises.
On information, officials along with the police arrived at the spot and held talks with the protesters, assuring them that all would be allowed to participate in the competition. J Manikandan, trainer in a private silambam club in Ponmalai, alleged that the registration form for the event did not include a section specifying an applicant’s weight.
"As there were no questions on candidate’s weight, we brought more than 60 students based on the age group. When the girls were preparing to compete, the district sports authorities simply told those weighing less than 40 kg to leave.
After we protested, officials allowed them to participate," he added. Meanwhile, officials in the district sports office said that the weight requirement was mentioned in the online registration form. It may have been overlooked. However, all the girls were allowed to participate in the event, they added.