15-yr-old selected to represent U’khand in national athletics championship may miss out because of state sports officials’ bungling

DEHRADUN: Despite being selected for a national level athletics championship, a 15-year-old athlete is likely to miss participating in the event because of the apathy of the state sports department which kept on passing the buck on who will arrange for her travel to Coimbatore where the event is being held. Ankita Dhyani, who belongs to a poor family living in the remote village of Mathali in Pauri district, has been selected for the 800m, 1500m and 3000m events.But state sports officials have been dodging the responsibility of arranging for her travel due to which the athlete is likely to miss out on a chance to represent the state even after qualifying for the highly competitive championship beginning from November 10.
A visibly dejected Ankita told TOI, “I had put in a lot of hard work to get selected for the championship. My family’s financial condition is not such that they can afford to sponsor my travel. Also, my father is unwell. My school teacher Ridhi Bhatt along with support from others has arranged for a train ticket for me but nobody from the state sports body has come forward to take me to the championship and I am doubtful whether I will be able to go.”
According to Ridhi Bhatt, even after getting selected in the nationals on the basis of her performance in the state level athletic meet at Dehradun, Ankita was told by the sports officer of Kotdwar stadium that she can’t participate in the national championship since she didn’t have “an authority letter to confirm her selection.” “We showed the sports officer the selection list but she rejected it saying that it’s a press release and not an authority letter. This kind of attitude on the part of those who are supposed to promote sporting ethos in the state is surprising. Ankita is a very talented girl and has also played school nationals twice. If she is going to represent the state, somebody from the sports association or government should have taken the responsibility to arrange for her to participate in the championship,” said Bhatt.
The district sports officer of Pauri when queried about the matter, passed the buck to the state athletic association saying that the responsibility lay with them for arranging the travel of the athlete.
However, sports Minister Dinesh Agarwal acknowledged that officials “should have come forward to help the young girl.” Sports Secretary Sailesh Bagoli when apprised of the issue, said, “I will look into the matter and see what can be done to help her out so that she participates in the event. If she fulfils the criteria, the sports department will also provide her financial help for her sports training.”