Guwahati, Dec. 26: Indian Olympic Association media cell chairman and former Assam Olympics Association president Durgadas Boro today came down heavily on the state sports department’s attitude towards sports and accused the bureaucracy of sabotaging the government’s initiatives to develop sports.
Appreciating chief minister Tarun Gogoi for his initiatives to hold the 33rd National Games and his steps to develop and promote sports in the state, the AGP leader said it was the bureaucracy that often hindered at every step.
“I have taken up the matter of equipment procured for the 33rd National Games rotting in stores. The chief minister had also assured us that he would issue the equipment to sportspersons for regular use in practice and competitions. However, I am informed that a section of bureaucrats have been reluctant to issue the same on various pretexts,” Boro, who is the president of Assam Lawn Bowling Association as well as Assam Fencing Association, said.
He was addressing a felicitation ceremony here to honour the medallists from Assam in the recent fourth National Lawn Bowls Championship in Calcutta. Assam bagged as many as six medals, including two gold.
Tania Choudhury, who bagged the women’s singles gold, was awarded the Raj Bengani most valuable woman player of the year trophy. Ruptu Gogoi and Anand Narzary bagged the other gold for Assam in men’s pairs.
The bronze medallists include Nayanmoni Saikia and Bangita Hazarika in women’s pairs, Bima Bora, Anwesha Bora and Tania Choudhury in women’s triples, Amiya Gogoi, Bima Bora, Bangita Hazarika and Nayanmoni Saikia in women’s fours and Putul Sonowal, Kamaleswar Kalita, Bipankar Sarmah and Anand Narzary in men’s fours.
Boro said: “The department has at least 60 sets of expensive lawn bowls balls laying unused at its disposal and those will expire by 2016. Our players have represented the country on various occasions and they have to fork out huge amounts of money to purchase the balls. Despite our requests, the department has never issued a single set of balls to any of the players.”
Boro urged the chief minister to issue a categorical directive soon to make the equipment available to sportspersons.
