For aspiring athletes, Delhi's JLN stadium is a harsh reality check

No crossbars or stands for high jumpers, damaged run-up track for javelin throwers, damaged landing pad for pole vaulters and a crumbling gym are just some of the many issues at SAI's flagship Delhi facility.

It is too dark to see anything beyond ten feet from you, but a few javelin throwers are still working on their technique in the practice area of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the heart of the city. The only light comes from the glow of streetlights in the complex. The floodlights in the practice zone are off.

Athletes practicing high jumps without a jump stand and bar. (Avishek Roy)

The throwers have to be extra careful—because the end of the marked runway, where the athlete has to come to an abrupt halt to hurl the javelin, is damaged and worn out. They avoid running on to it.

Many of them are here with renewed hope after Neeraj Chopra’s historic Olympic gold, and after Sumit Antil—who trains here—made his way to another stunning javelin gold a month after Chopra at the Tokyo Paralympics.

But that hope is confronted with the reality of what is supposed to be Delhi’s showpiece track & field venue, adjacent to the Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) headquarters—no access to the main stadium, a dilapidated practice zone, no water, dirty toilets and a lack of equipment.

When the throwers finally call time on their practice because of the lack of visibility, some of them walk to the stadium’s gymnasium. It’s a poorly ventilated room with no air conditioning or even fans, very few weights and even some of those are broken, damaged benches and platforms.

"Nothing is in working condition in this gym. Some of the weights have been brought by coaches. I have been here for four years but nothing has changed," said an international para athlete who did not wish to be identified. "There are so many trainees that you have to wait for a long time for your turn. It gets nauseating as there is no air conditioning. We have brought one small table fan ourselves."

The two SAI hostels have a better gym but those are only accessible if there is a national camp at JLN though that’s a rare occurrence at the complex.

“Basic infrastructure that an athlete needs is missing here,” said Sunil Goswami, a former national champion in javelin and the 2006 South Asian Games silver medallist.

Goswami said that he has been getting lots of queries from budding throwers and their parents since Chopra’s gold asking him to take them on for coaching.

“I tell them that they should come only if they can afford a javelin and training gear on their own because we don’t get it here. Most of throwers here use their own or share personal equipment. We have spoken to the administration so many times, but nothing has changed,” said Goswami.

There are also no stands or crossbars for high jump and a damaged landing pad for pole vault.

SAI sent a statement in response to mailed queries, saying that an “expert committee has submitted a report wherein they have informed that (pole vault) pit is damaged and may not be used for practice as it may cause an injury to the athlete” and that “Efforts are at hand to augment the water facility at the warm up area” though they “recommend all players/athletes to bring their own water in view of COVID conditions.”

There is only one full-time SAI athletics coach at the venue. There are around 800 trainees, according to a SAI official—counting beginners, state, national and international level athletes—who use the facility every day. Those under 16, use SAI’s Come & Play scheme, which promises coaching and access to infrastructure. Those who are over that age are given accreditation from SAI to use the facilities depending on their level.

Lack of equipment, no water

A look around the practice area that was teeming with athletes on Thursday—ahead of the first under-23 senior national championships that begin on September 27—revealed that there were no water sources in the vicinity.

There was just one toilet, which was damaged and overflowing. The toilets inside the stadium, which houses government offices, are out of bounds for athletes.

The one landing pad for pole vaulters is unsafe—the upper layer of foam badly damaged—but the athletes still take their chances on it. The long jump pits do not have enough sand for a safe landing.

“Only one of the four long jump pits is in some condition to be used. Because of the under-23 meet, the organisers are refilling one pit,” said a coach who did not want to identified.

“We are only left with bruises after training on this pit,” said a U-18 athlete.

The SAI statement said that there were no problems with the long jump pits.

Rajeev Kumar, who trains his son and daughter—state and national level discus throwers—here, said that there is no proper structure for athletics at the complex.

“We feel as if we are unwanted. They won’t switch the the floodlights on at night,” Kumar said. “In the grassroots, nothing has changed. If this is the attitude, do you think we can have another Neeraj Chopra?”

Another athletics coach said that counting weekly offs—Mondays and second Tuesdays—and gazette holidays, the complex is shut for more than 10 days a month. Many of the coaches said they have written to the sports ministry about this multiple times.

“From time to time we have raised this matter because it hampers training,” said the coach. “Sometimes these holidays come together and students miss training for 3-4 days at a stretch. The stadium should not be closed for training at all. We can’t prepare the athletes for competition, the entire schedule is disturbed.”