Calcutta: Twice Asian Games silver-medallist Soma Biswas feels athletics in Bengal is almost ruined.

Why? Because of lack of opportunities and incentives, which is turning those mainly from the districts and villages away from the sport and making them de-motivated.

Speaking on the sidelines of the media conference for the four-day 68th State Athletics Championship, to be held from Thursday at the Salt Lake Stadium, Soma said: "Athletics in our state, especially those pockets that would produce promising athletes, are almost ruined... As good as dead... It somehow exists only because of SAI (Sports Authority of India)...

"Precisely, without SAI, there would have been a complete shutdown of athletics in our state.

"At the districts and in villages, lack of opportunities and incentives made matters worse with youngsters finding no motivation whatsoever to pursue a career in athletics.

"Besides, the advent of social media has also led to a shift in focus and attention. Looking at the overall situation of the sport here, youngsters and those who initially aspire to make it big lose interest and motivation.

"Only those who seriously want to make a career out of athletics go on to continue. Others don't, and you can't blame them at all."

The state athletics meet will be held on the new track, which also got an IAAF certificate, laid before last year's Fifa U-17 World Cup, and Soma was all praise for its quality. But participating athletes should have been given enough time to train there, feels Soma.

"The quality of the track is, no doubt, very good. But I think had the stadium been open at least a month before the state meet, it would have been more helpful for the participants," she said.

Asked why the stadium wasn't opened for the participating athletes, all what Bengal Olympic Association president Ajit Banerjee could utter was: "That was mainly due to government policies..."

As for the state meet, it will have around 1200 athletes taking part. East Bengal and North 24 Parganas will have the highest number of participants - 122 each.