Players coming up short of accommodation in Bhopal: Hockey News
The First edition of Senior Men National Hockey Championship that is being hosted this time by Hockey India (HI) in Bhopal, from yesterday, June 10, has made a the very first bad impression over the national teams that arrived for participating in the event.
According to the Sports Minister (SM), Ajay Maken, almost half of the players were to be accommodated at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre that gave a last minute refusal due to its certificate course, currently being held there.
Maken commented over the situation, "Bhopal is not a big city, but we are trying to find decent hotels. The coaches and managers have already been shifted and we are looking to make arrangements for as many players as possible also."
HI passed on the burden over the organisers for resolving the issue and the SM stated, “We are not responsible for providing accommodation to the participating players. It is the duty of the Madhya Pradesh (MP) Sports Department which is hosting the tournament.
HI is providing only logistical support and coordinating.”
In addition to the above stated matter, there was lack of arrangements at the venue with insufficient facilities for the players of the championship.
These poor conditions came upfront on a report issued by media regarding the poorly ventilated lodgings where the teams were residing with bad living conditions.
Addressing the matter, a comprehensive account was asked from both HI and the MP Sports department for justifying the substandard and incomplete preparations made for the championship.
Maken reported that various players and team officials also came up with complaints concerning lack of transport facilities and mismanagement.
The officials of the local sport body have already begun meeting up the incomplete arrangements. Yesterday, on June 10, the coolers were picked for repairs. Moreover, the MP government took steps for comforting the guest teams with an announcement of providing
INR 400 per player for each day in the championship.
In the meantime, the officials are on the rush to find some other convenient place for the teams to reside.
On the other hand, the first day of the championship, held yesterday, ended up lucky for the host team, MP academy when they defeated Jammu and Kashmir by 6-2.
Moreover, Tamil Nadu single-handedly trounced Uttarakhand by 7-0, Punjab fiercely thrashed Gujarat by 25-0, Railways crushed Tripura by a fierce 28-0 and so on.
HI General Secretary Narendra Batra, was also present at the inauguration of the championship.
In the other developments, the President of both the controversial hockey bodies of India, HI and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), have been called up by Maken to a meeting today, June 11, for sorting matters among them with a possible solution.
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