Ranchi, June 27: Wushu practitioners are in a fix. They have the finest quality of carpets and mattresses to practice on and coaches to help them but no proper place to train.

Fenced arena of at least 8x8 dimension is a basic requirement for the game. But aspiring practitioners for the 34th National Games are being forced to make do with the hockey stadium. As the construction of the indoor stadium is still on at Hotwar, the practitioners have no choice.

Chief coach L. Pradeep Kumar from Manipur said: “Among the other options available, we opted for the hockey stadium as we have proper lodging facilities here. Also, the Morabadi grounds are nearby and players can use it for outdoor exercises. We will adjust with the facilities till the new stadium is ready.”

Besides Kumar, coaches from Uttar Pradesh and Ranchi are helping the practitioners improve their skills.

Joint secretary of Jharkhand Wushu Association Shivendra Dubey said the issue of indoor stadium would be solved before the third camp begins.

“The lack of an indoor stadium is a minor problem and will be solved by the third phase of the camp. In fact, the government has promised us Chinese coaches for the last camp before the Games. As of now we have been successful in training players. They are undergoing proper practice sessions and are also being given nutritious food.”

About 45 participants, including 11 girls, have come together for the camp, which is going on since May 12. This is the second wushu camp and after rigorous practice, some will be selected for the third session. Later, 27 will be selected to participate in the 34th National Games in December.

Apart from lodging, participants of the 45-day camp are also getting the best diet possible, said a wushu practitioner.

“We get food as per the diet charts from (the National Institute of Sports) Patiala. Fruits, vegetarian and non-vegetarian items are on the menu and in good quantity. The government has also given us tracksuits. The only thing missing is an indoor stadium,” said a participant.

But the coaches are confident that Jharkhand team would perform well at the National Games.