Usha moots public awareness on athletics

Gwalior, June 19 (UNI) Claiming that there was no dearth of sports talent in India, former Sprint Queen P T Usha stressed that public awareness on atletics was needed for the selection of talented young players for this discipline.

''In our country, a sportsperson is not paid attention by the government and sports organisations unless the sportsperson wins medals in the Asian and other international events. Youth should be trained after determining long-term objectives,'' she told journalists here yesterday.

Pointing out that the Indian attitude to sports had definitely undergone a change and fresh facilities were being provided, Usha regretted that they were falling short of international standards.

''11 girls, between 12 and 16 years of age, are being trained at the Usha School of Athletics in Kerala with the 2012 Olympics in mind. Some of the trainees have bagged medals in the Junior Asian Games,'' she added.

Condemning the doping growing menace of Usha said, ''We enter the arena for bringing fame to the country but some sportspersons sully the nation's image by taking banned medicines.'' UNI MKS-AC PM VC1420