With messes at sports stadiums and academies in Ludhiana closed since the Covid lockdown was imposed in March last year, budding athletes from the district are struggling to even meet their basic dietary requirements .
The closing of these messes, which were funded through government grants, is largely affecting players from economically weaker backgrounds, including those who brought laurels to the state at national level.
One such mess is located at Guru Nanak Stadium, which has also been closed since the lockdown was imposed. The players earlier used to get nutritious food from here, which according to them was among the key factors for their performance at the state and national levels.
Rohit Kumar, 16, the son of a labourer from Kotkapura in Faridkot, is a national NBA player in junior category and trains at District Basketball Academy here. “My father works really hard to feed the family and is the sole bread earner. Protein is essential for any athlete and we used to get eggs, milk, pulses and fruits at our mess pre-lockdown. Now, my father also bears the baggage of my food expenses, along with the sports equipment and school fees. I can’t even think of eating a non-vegetarian diet anymore,” he said.
Rohit’s father Ramesh Kumar said that he doesn’t expect anything from the government. “I am sure that despite the odds, my son who bagged medals at state and national level, will make India proud. But, the government has turned a blind eye. I feel helpless at times,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Rohit’s father Ramesh Kumar said that he doesn’t expect anything from the government. “I am sure that despite the odds, my son who bagged medals at state and national level, will make India proud. But, the government has turned a blind eye. I feel helpless at times,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Indian NBA sensation Princepal Singh, who also trains at DBA, said that a player cannot excel without a proper diet. “It is disturbing to see how our young players are being neglected by the government here. They should open all the messes and support the players, so that they can bring laurels to the country at international level”, averred Prince.
The situation is no different for football and badminton players. Mohinder Singh Grewal, president of the District Badminton Association Ludhiana (DBAL), said that there has been minimal help from the government in helping the athletes. “It is great to see governments honouring our Olympic heroes after they bagged medals for the country. But, it is very important for officials to understand that players need proper care from the beginning. Only then, will we be able to surpass China or USA in the medal tally”, said Grewal.
Meanwhile, Ravinder Singh, district sports officer, said that the government is waiting for things to get back normal as the third covid wave is suspected. “Not many players are turning back to the grounds for now and third wave is expected too, so the government is yet to take decision on reopening messes”, said Singh