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Deadly smog leaves Delhi's athletes gasping for breath
Despite the air quality index moving into the severe category, the athletes have little option but to continue training.
The thick toxic smog blanketed the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium even as the athletes went about their training there. Some jogged and some sprinted on the track even as the air quality dipped to severe levels in the national capital on Thursday (AQI of 449 at JLN stadium). Many stopped after a brief run while some were seen coughing.
The Commission for Air Quality Management released a set of emergency measures as per the Graded Response Action Plan (Stage IV) for the Delhi-NCR region, advising “children, elderly and those with respiratory, or cardiovascular or other chronic diseases to stay indoors as much as possible.” No respite from the toxic spell is expected for the next three days.
It is in this unhealthy environment that Delhi athletes are preparing for competitions. A squad of more than 100 athletes will represent Delhi at the Junior National Athletics Championships in Guwahati from Nov 11. Their final phase of preparation has been severely impacted because of the high levels of pollution.
“We are hardly able to complete our training in the last few days. The situation is so bad that the moment we feel it is causing breathing problems we stop,” said Ruhi Bohra, who last week won the Open Delhi State meet last week in 3km and 1500m races.
“It was not so bad when the event was held a week ago but suddenly the conditions have worsened. On Monday, I did all my workouts and the next day I was having difficulty in breathing during speed running. Everything is planned before a competition and skipping workout sessions will impact our performance at the Junior Nationals but that’s how it is right now,” she said.
Coach Rakesh Yadav has stopped his wards from working out in the evening for the last two weeks.
“We are now training in the morning for an hour and a half depending on when we get a slightly better environment and then in the evening, I have asked my athletes to do only warm up, and stretches. It impacts your lungs. But since they have a competition, we have no other option,” said Yadav.
Another Delhi athlete, Pritam Kumar, said the schedule has gone completely haywire. “We have been waiting for the Junior Nationals for a long time but our training is disrupted. You feel suffocated and your eyes get irritated while running,” said Kumar.
Dr PSM Chandran, former director, sports sciences, SAI, says it is advisable to do indoor training.
“If you are an elite athlete and doing outdoor training, this level of pollution is harmful. Everything depends on your oxygen intake and here you are taking in the polluted air. They have to adjust their training timings, skip evening sessions and do indoor training,” said Chandran.
It is not only track and field athletes but cyclists and tennis players who are feeling the heat too.
Niki Poonacha, competing in the ongoing ITF event in Delhi, said he felt the difference when he landed in the national capital from Tunisia.
“I have always played in Delhi. I was in Tunisia for four months and when I came here recently it was hard to breathe. Now I am not thinking about it, probably getting used to it. It is full of smog. It will be hard on the lungs for sure. Even after my match, I was coughing a little bit,” said Poonacha who made it to the quarter-finals on Thursday.
