Let players, Federations use the stadiums built for CWG: IOA

The IOA demanded that the expensive stadiums built for the 2010 CWG should be made available to the players and the federations for utilisation.

New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Tuesday demanded that the expensive stadiums built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games should be made available to the players and the federations for utilisation as there is no point in letting the facilities become `white elephants`.

IOA said various stadium are in total shambles because they are not being used for the sporting purposes and may soon become `heritage sites`. IOA acting President Vijay Kumar Malhotra came down hard on the government for the apathy. "Why so much tax payers money was sunk in building them if these were to be kept under lock and key," Malhotra said in a statement. "Don`t let them be white elephants." Citing a recent TV channel story, Malhotra said," One was shocked to see the report which showed Talkatora, JawaharLal Nehru Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, Cycling Track in virtual shambles." "No authority is interested in maintaining them. Huge garbage is littered around Nehru Stadium while tracks are showing signs of cracks. If nobody has used these stadium, how come seats have either been broken or missing and there is so much mess there." Malhotra said it`s high time that Sports Authority of India (SAI) takes urgent steps to make these places available to sportspersons and federations. "It is the duty of the Sports ministry and SAI to let players make maximum use of the stadiums and facilities but they are doing the opposite, not letting them use these facilities and thus creating unnecessary controversies." PTI