Dhenkanal: The Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centre here is said to be the cradle of many sports personalities.
But these days the centre is wallowing in various problems.
As per reports, the Ministry of Sports is considering its closure for good.
The training centre was established in 1992 with an aim to encourage athletes and develop sports in the state.
There was a lot of enthusiasm for the project during its inception. There were experienced coaches to train selected sport persons in various categories like football, athletics, kabadi, wrestling and weight lifting.
27 years have passed since its coming into being. The period is long enough for a sport centre to exhibit discernible results. But in case of SAI training centre, it is just the opposite. Subjected to constant neglect, the centre has been atrophied, it is alleged.
The hostel can accommodate 50 persons. Initially, football players used to get coaching here.
In 2009, the SAI authorities withdrew football coaching after a controversy among the players. The situation was so serious that the centre had to remain shut from 2009 to 2014.
After tremendous pressure and demand from sport persons, sport institutions and the common people, the centre was reopened in 2014.
At present 27 persons are receiving training in athletics, kabadi, wrestling and weight lifting. But it has no coaches in two sections. Similarly, the chief coach, who had been in charge of the centre, was transferred May 30, 2019. No one has been appointed in his place so far.
Sources said, once a plan had been prepared to spread the centre and for this a patch of land had been earmarked near Panchakahania by the side of National Highway-55 on the outskirts of the town.
Work on an additional ground at a cost of Rs 50 lakh had also been started. But the work was stalled after one year due to various factors. Now the ground is lying deserted.
The SAI hostel has produced many personalities. Footballer Jagabandhu Modi had got a place in the under-22 Indian team in 2006.
Weight-lifter K Ravi Kumar, gold medal recipient in state Commonwealth games, had also got training here. The list of SAI alumni who have achieved success in their respective arenas is quite long.
Now the situation has changed for the worst. The centre, once recognised for producing national level talents, is presently struggling to find its identity.
Finding no way out to salvage the situation, the Ministry of Sports is contemplating on its closure for good, sources said.
For the development of sports, the district has a stadium, founded by former Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy. The stadium was modernized October 6, 1998 by the then Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik. New galleries and a hostel were inaugurated.
Despite all these facilities, SAI, District Sports Department and District Sports Council are showing little interest to organise national level competitions here which is hurting the sport lovers deeply.
According to district sport officer Pradipta Kumar Mohanty, the SAI hostel is in need of coaches.
But no letter has come for its closure as yet, he said.
PNN
