Guwahati, June 27: The All Assam Judo Association has sent an SOS to Dispur to immediately appoint at least two more coaches as its preparations for the 2005 National Games was flung to the mat by shortage of trainers.

General secretary of the association Banee Brata Das, who is also a national-level NIS coach under the state directorate of sports, said the preparations of the team have been impelled by shortage of trainers.

Apart from Das, NIS diploma-holder Ashima Saikia helps the association during the training camps, and she is rendering her service for free. There are eight NIS judo coaches in the state.

The association organised its first phase coaching camp in April this year with the Sports Authority of India’s Calcutta-based coach Tony Lee as chief instructor. It has now planned to hold the second phase after the return of Das from Russia in August or September.

Das he has been named coach of the Indian team for the third Children of Asia International Sports Games, beginning on July 23 at Yakutsk in Russia. The coach, who has been asked to train the team, will leave for New Delhi by July 2.

He said two more coaches should be appointed to ensure better coaching to the state judokas during their preparations for the Games. “At least the new coaches could have taken care of the coaching camps in my absence,” the fourth dan black belt-holder added.

The president of the association, R.C. Agarwal, said coaches would have to be hired from outside the state if no one was appointed before the second phase of coaching.

Agarwal, who has approached the Judo Federation of India’s president Jagdish Tytler, said the national association would assist the state unit to procure equipment.

Das, who is also a joint secretary of national federation, complained that the gi (dress) of the judokas for the coaching camps were not good enough for competitions and the association would have to buy new clothes for training purposes. “Training with sub-standard gis will affect the performance of the judokas during competitive bouts,” he added.

The National Games Secretariat’s coaching sub-committee has shortlisted 14 coaches with a judo trainer among them for contractual appointment for neat year’s mega-event.

However, the Secretariat would first seal a deal with sponsors to take care of the coaches’ expenses and, secondly, approach the directorate of sports for requesting the government to partially lift the ban on appointments.

Sources in the Secretariat said a meet with the prospective sponsors has been convened on July 9.