SAI centres should be given more facilities: Jina Gohain

Injured Archer Sibangini Gohain's mother on Monday said that "SAI centres should be well equipped with the medical facilities" in case of any emergency.

Gohain had got injured while practising for the Khelo India event in Guwahati, last week.

Sibangini's mother Jina Gohain opined that the coaching standard also needs to be upgraded in the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres across the country.

"SAI centres should be well equipped with medical facilities so that in case of emergency athletes can get better care," Jina told ANI.

"Also, I want to say that coaching in our SAI centre really needs to be looked upon. There is only one recurve coach who trains with compound archers. All of our SAI centres should be given more facilities because in the absence of good facilities players face problem in practising," she added.

Sibangini is now doing well and wants to start playing as soon as possible. She expressed her desire to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after her surgery.

"After surgery when she came in sense she asked me that I am good can I play and she also said that I want to meet our Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Assam is it possible? I said yes why not you can meet. Also if our state and central government support her it would be good because our situation is not really good," Jina said.

"I firstly want to say that this kind of incident should not happen with anyone else. All should be more alert so that this kind of incident doesn't happen in future," she added.

Sibangini was airlifted to AIIMS's Trauma Centre after she got injured and has been undergoing treatment since then.

"I also want to thank the doctor, who with his team took really good care and treated her well. They have done a commendable job. I also want to request the central government to felicitate him with some award he is the top doctor we have," Jina said.

The Khelo India Youth Games 2020 participant comes from a humble background and her family runs a small stall to meet daily expenses.

"We fully support her and will keep doing it. Even if I have to work in a house to help and support her we will do. Our family background is not well to do and we have a paan and grocery shop to earn our livelihood. I doubt that in future, it will be tough for us to keep helping her financially but we will try our best," Jina said.

"As of now we have given her equipment but in future, it will be tough for us to provide the sporting equipment as they are expensive. I am sure she will do better, she is really good her interest is there and that is why I feel she will surely do well," she added.

The ongoing third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games will conclude on January 22.