Bihar players stage a dharna against the IOA ban at Moinul Haque Stadium in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Ashok Sinha
The dharna and indefinite hunger strike by sportspersons at Moinul Haque Stadium against the ban on players from the state from participating in the 35th National Games, Kerala, starting January 31, entered the second day on Sunday.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has prohibited Bihar teams as the state government was yet to repeal the Bihar Sports Registration, Recognition and Regulation Act, 2013, in spite of three reminders sent to the state.
Under the new act, there will be direct control of the state government in sports, which is against the charter of the IOA.
On Sunday, the players - led by Bihar Players' Association president Mritunjay Tiwari - demanded the immediate intervention of chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi over the issue so that their future is not hampered.
Bhim Bahadur Limbu, an athlete who participated in 10,000m (long-distance) races at various national-level tournaments, said: 'Owing to negligence of the state government, we will suffer. Only the state government has to withdraw the act and talk to the IOA officials urging them so that players from Bihar can participate in the National Games.'
Limbu, who took part in the 34th National Games in Ranchi in 2011, said: 'There is no infrastructure or logistics support provided by the state government to athletes and it is least concerned about lifting the controversial act either.'
Chandan Kumar, a silver medallist in 400m category at Junior National (Under-20) Athletics meet in Guntur in 2011, said: 'The state government has introduced the act for promotion of sports but in contrary it is becoming a curse for sportspersons here.'
Arvind Thakur, director, sports, said: 'The sports department has no role to play. The state government will have to take the final decision for participation of the Bihar team in the National Games.'
Tiwari said: 'We are sitting on a dharna since Saturday but till now no official has even approached us.'
The state government on Friday has convened a meeting of the Bihar Olympic Association and different sports associations with Manjhi on January 5.
