Committee formed to improve SAI centres

The sports ministry on Wednesday formed an eight-member committee to study the status of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) training centres around the country and recommend measures for their smooth running.

This comes after the tragic incident at the SAI water sports centre at Alappuzha, Kerala, in May when four girls attempted suicide out of which one trainee subsequently died. This attracted widespread attention and underlined the need for systemic improvement to ensure the well being of trainees at SAI centres.

The committee comprises Ashwini Nachappa (chairperson), Gopi Chand, Jaspal Sandhu, Malav Shroff, Bhogeshwar Barua, K.P. Mohan, Baldev Singh and Neena P. Nayak who will study the status of the centres to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.

They have been asked to visit at least a couple of centres in each region, study the issues involved and give their recommendations.

Firstly, issues facing athletes at the centres and recommendations for resolving them, management of stress levels, quality of food, timely availability of dietary supplements, cleanliness, recreational facilities, athlete grievance redressal, anti-sexual harassment measures, overall security, systems, procedures, checks and balances, system of reporting and monitoring required to ensure holistic development and well being of athletes.

Secondly, any other recommendation which the committee deems fit.

The committee has to submit its report to the government within three months.