Mattresses on the floor for hockey players in chilly Imphal
NEW DELHI: Manipur has come under sharp criticism for providing poor accommodation to the players who have reached Imphal for the senior national hockey B division championship. The 15-day competition that got underway on Sunday, is being held under the aegis of Hockey India.
CHILLY CONDITIONS
At this time of the year when the temperature goes down to as low as 2 to 3°C during the night, players were given mattresses on the floor to sleep on.
Former international Thoiba Singh from Manipur agreed the state hasn’t made good progress in terms of infrastructure. “There is acute shortage on that front,” he told Hindustan Times.
Thoiba said good accommodation was an issue. “We are trying to provide the best that we have. Some officials of Hockey India have also come here and they are monitoring the situation. We have provided room heaters and extra mattress to the players,” he added.
Thoiba said budget constraint was a big issue. “There is not much support from the state government,” he said adding there should be adequate hostel for sporting events.
DIFFERENT FOR STATE
An official with one of the teams said, the national team gets good facilities and the same should be provided for domestic competitions. “Someone from the federation should monitor the facilities before teams arrive so that the basic things are mot missing,” he said on condition of anonymity.
There are 33 teams participating in the competition.
Former World Junior Champion Nikhat Zareen and World Youth Championship gold medallist Shashi Chopra advanced to the next round of the Elite Women’s National Boxing Championship on Monday.
On the third day of the event at the National Boxing Academy here, Nikhat blanked Kerala’s Anju Sabu 5-0, while Shashi also defeated Manipur’s Shamim Banu 5-0 in a lop-sided contest.
In the flyweight category, Nikhat, who was coming back to the ring after a year’s gap due to an injury, looked to be in great form as she landed her jabs with great conviction from the first round itself to decimate her opponent.
DELHI INTERNATIONAL CHESS MEET TO BEGIN
NEW DELHI: Arkadij Naiditsch of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan’s Farrukh Amonatov and Indian Abhijeet Gupta will be favourites in the 16th Delhi International Grandmaster Open chess tournament, which will begin at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium here from Tuesday.
Naiditsch, the first and lone 2700+ elo rated player of the tournament, will be the top seed. He has an elo rating of 2701.
VIBRANT KHELO INDIA LOGO UNVEILED
NEW DELHI: The vibrant Khelo India logo, reflecting the freshness, agility and vitality of New India, has been unveiled by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Rathore at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. At the unveiling, Rathore said they were rapidly moving towards the actualisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of new India.
We are trying to provide the best that we have. Some officials of Hockey India have also come here and they are monitoring the situation THOIBA SINGH, On the situation