THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)
(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.484 FOR REPLY ON 28-04-2015 ASKED BY DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT AND SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE REGARDING MISMANAGEMENT IN NATIONAL PARA ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP MEET.
(a) Yes, Madam.
(b) & (C) The 15th National Para Athletics Championship was conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Paralympic Association from 20th to 22nd March, 2015 at Ghaziabad, U.P. under the aegis of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), the National Sports Federation (NSF) for Para Sports. The PCI was sanctioned an amount of Rs.2.00 lakhs as per approved norms of assistance to NSFs, to supplement their resources for holding the event.
There were media reports about the pathetic infrastructure at the venue and lack of basic amenities for the athletes during the entire period of the event.
Sports Authority of India (SAI) conducted an enquiry and submitted its report to the Ministry. As per the report, the event was organised at the Janhit Para Sports Academy, Govindpuram, Ghaziabad (U.P.) which did not have facilities for conduct of a national championship and also lacked allied facilities required for differently-abled athletes such as ramps, disabled-friendly toilets, lodging facilities, etc. There was total lack of planning in conceptualisation and conduct of the event.
Based on the report submitted by SAI, a show-cause notice was issued to PCI on 16-04-2015. The Government received letter dated 15-04- 2015 from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) suspending PCI with immediate effect for an unlimited period of time. Keeping in view the serious complaints from different quarters including players and media, alleging poor management in the conduct of the 15th National Para Athletics Championship, 2015, enquiry report submitted by SAI and suspension of PCI by the concerned International Federation, the Government suspended the recognition given to PCI vide order dated 22-04-2015 with immediate effect. Further, in order to protect the interests of the para- athletes, the government has written to IPC on 22-04-2015 to either constitute an ad-hoc committee to work in place of PCI till a federation is granted recognition by IPC for para- sports in India or to authorise the Government to constitute such a committee.
(d) and (e) Madam, NSFs are autonomous bodies registered under Societies/ Companies Act. Government does not normally interfere in their day to day activities which includes holding of various events. Also, Government funding for such events is only supplemental in nature. Nevertheless, Government has issued instructions making it mandatory for all NSFs to conduct national championnships every year and it is incumbent upon them to draw the calendar of events well in advance and display it on their website and also to take all measures for the smooth conduct of the championship with a vision to empower the athletes to reach their optimum potential. In view of reports of poor management at the 15th National Para Athletics Championship the Government has also issued instructions to all recognised NSFs for providing basic minimum facilities such as clean drinking water, adequate number of clean toilets, proper lighting and fans in the rooms for athletes, provision of neat and clean linen, proper transport facilities, provision of hygienic & healthy food, disabled friendly toilets and playing arena for differentiy-abled athletes, creation of grievance cell for players for the entire duration of the event, separate change rooms and toilets for boys and girls, round the clock first-aid facilities, etc. to the players and officials including physically challenged sportspersons during the conduct of various national and international events. These instructions have been made an integral part of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 (NSDCI), compliance of which has been made mandatory for all NSFs.
