Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed all state-run sports facilities in the city to stay open for sportspersons till 10 pm, his deputy Manish Sisodia said on Thursday (May 26). The direction comes following a media report that the Thyagraj Stadium was being closed for sports activities earlier than usual so that an IAS officer could walk his dog at the facility.
Tagging the report, Sisodia said in a tweet: “News reports have brought to our notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late nite. CM @ArvindKejriwal has directed that all Delhi Govt sports facilities to stay open for sportsmen till 10pm (sic).”
News reports have brought to our notice that certain sports facilities are being closed early causing inconvenience to sportsmen who wish to play till late nite. CM @ArvindKejriwal has directed that all Delhi Govt sports facilities to stay open for sportsmen till 10pm pic.twitter.com/LG7ucovFbZ
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) May 26, 2022
Athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have been complaining about being forced to wrap their training early because Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar takes his dog for a walk at the facility. According to a report in the Indian Express newspaper, the sportspersons have to leave the ground at least an hour early so that Khirwar can take a walk along with his dog on the ground.
“We used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier. But now, we are asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the officer can walk his dog on the ground. Our training and practice routine has been disrupted,” a coach told the Indian Express newspaper.
However, when confronted, the officer denied any such allegation but accepted that he ‘sometimes’ takes his pet for a walk but never on a routine basis. “I would never ask an athlete to leave the stadium that belongs to them. Even if I visit, I go after the stadium is supposed to close…We don’t leave him (the pet) on the track…when no one is around we leave him but never at the cost of any athlete. If it’s something objectionable, I will stop it,” Khirwar said.
When the newspaper visited the stadium on three evenings in the past 7 days, they saw the stadium guards blowing whistle and ensuring that the arena was cleared by 7 pm. “We have to close by 7 pm. You can find the government office timings anywhere. This (stadium) is also a government office under the Delhi government. I am not aware of any such thing (an official using the facilities to walk his dog). I leave the stadium by 7 pm and I am not aware,” Stadium administrator Ajit Chaudhary told the publication.
But according to coaches and athletes, they have to train earlier in the heat since practice has to be wrapped up early. They said that earlier they trained will 8:30 pm or even till 9 for that matter but now they are left with no other option.
Built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the centrally located sporting complex is a multi-discipline facility that attracts national and state athletes and footballers.
(with PTI inputs)
