Thin turnout for Commonwealth Games-2010 athletics camp

Patiala, Nov 22 (UNI) The national athletic coaching camp, which got under way here at the NIS on November 17, to prepare the athletes, mainly for the Commonwealth Games in 2010, has thin attendance.

Seventy six men athletes, 49 women athletes, 23 coaches and five supporting staff, which includes masseurs and masseuses, have been invited for the camp.

Till date, only 33 sportspersons or the supporting staff have reported in the camp: These include 16 men athletes, eight women athletes, six coaches and three supporting staff.

The Executive Director (TEAMS) of SAI, Joe Sebastian, in his circular of November 11, said that all athletes and coaches, selected for the camp, must report at the NIS here within two days.

The low turn out in the camp is inexplicable. When this glaring indiscipline was brought to the notice of Joe Sebastian on phone by UNI correspondent, he quipped, " this is amazing".

"I will speak to NIS Executive Director (Academics) Laxman Singh Ranawat about the low turn out in the camp," Sebastian said.

In Patiala, the camp is in sprints, jumps, throws and middle and long distance for women. For combined events, the camp is in Kolkata, and in middle and long distance event and jumps, the camp is in Bangalore.

It is to be reiterated that India failed to win a single gold medal in the men's section during Doha Asian Games, and in Beijing Olympics the men and women athletes gave poor performances.

The Athletic Federation of India (AFI) as also SAI will have to get tough with the athletes in terms of discipline in case India expects good results in the Commonwealth Games which we are hosting with pride.

UNI XC HS BP1032