Preparation for National Athletics event too slow |
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22-Apr-2012
The News
KARACHI: Preparation for the 44th National Athletics Championship is moving at a snail’s pace although only 27 days are left before it begins at NSTCC here from May 17, ‘The News’ has learnt.
Pakistan Navy and Sindh Athletics Association are jointly organising the event that will continue till May 19.
A number of proposed development works necessary for the event have not been initiated due to shortage of funds and lethargic attitude of the organising committee, sources said.
Electronic timer is yet to be installed and the broken grills around the Tartan Track are yet to be repaired. Similar is the case with the wall in front of the center. The officials are yet to install jumping pads at take off boards for long and triple jump. There has been no progress to overhaul the drainage system around the track, which has collapsed and could result in injuries to the athletes running at the left side of the track.
Athletes running on the track could be trapped in the broken iron grills of the sewerage line, causing injuries.
Sources said that these broken iron grills were to be welded to cover the sewerage line but this work has not been started due to paucity of funds.
Only washing of the tartan track has been carried out which was also started late.
One positive thing in the championship is that equipments which are necessary for various disciplines of the event are being provided by the co-organiser Pakistan Navy.
If the equipments were given by PSB, this would be a different story altogether.
It has to be mentioned that once championship was postponed in April due to examinations in various parts of the country, then officials of Sindh Athletics Association were engaged in the Sindh Games, held in Mirpurkhas last month.
Informed sources said that organising committee is depending mostly on the PSB’s assistance.
The PSB has directed NSTCC management to provide all assistance in this regard but it is learnt that the coaching center management is still waiting funds for conducting the development work.
Some 400 athletes, including girls, will come here to participate in this most prestigious athletics event of the country.
The organisers have decided that hammer throw event would be organised at Pakistan Navy sports grounds where the required facility is available to save the tartan track of NSTCC, sources said.
Installation of electronic timer would take at least 15 days, and all equipment used in the installation process would have to be transported from PSB head office in Islamabad as well as the experts for installing the timer, sources said. |
