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CHENNAI: The Tokyo Olympics saw 11 Tamil Nadu athletes being part of it, and the state government appears keen to see that number rise at the Paris Games in 2024. In a major thrust to sports, the TN government — at the ongoing assembly session — have put forth the idea of setting up a mega sports city near Chennai and plans to build Olympic academies in four regions of the state.
“The mega sports city and the Olympic academies will have world-class facilities for various sports disciplines and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has been requested to select consultants who will be preparing the Techno–Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR),” said a state government official. The government is looking to widen the sporting activities in TN by establishing mini stadia across all the assembly constituencies. “Each mini stadium will be built at a cost of Rs 3 crore. Out of the 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, only 25 have stadium. Mini stadia will be built in the remaining 209 constituencies in a phased manner,” added the official.
While two-time Olympian Arokia Rajiv — who was part of Tokyo Games — lauded the government’s move, he felt facilities in the proposed academies should be nothing short but the best. “I welcome our TN government for undertaking such measures. If we are targeting medals at the Olympics, facilities in the Olympic academies we plan to build must be of that standard as well. The tracks, gyms and even coaches ought to be the best and only then will we get the result we desire,” Rajiv told TOI.
C Latha, secretary of Tamil Nadu Athletics Association (TNAA), is clear that facilities at the ground level must be improved for the athletes to be benefitted. “It is great that our state government has plans to build infrastructure that supports our athletes. But the facilities currently available need an upgrade. For example, synthetic tracks in Madurai and Coimbatore are in poor condition and need renovation and so are facilities and equipment in district level stadiums. We hope the state government looks into it,” said Latha.
TN govt lays more focus on Silambam
TN government has decided to make Silambam, a prehistoric martial art developed in the state, as one of the sporting disciplines eligible for recruitment under 3% sports quota. It has also written to the central government to include Silambam as an indigenous game of Tamil Nadu under “promotion of rural and Indigenous /tribal games” of Khelo India.
“The mega sports city and the Olympic academies will have world-class facilities for various sports disciplines and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) has been requested to select consultants who will be preparing the Techno–Economic Feasibility Report (TEFR),” said a state government official. The government is looking to widen the sporting activities in TN by establishing mini stadia across all the assembly constituencies. “Each mini stadium will be built at a cost of Rs 3 crore. Out of the 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, only 25 have stadium. Mini stadia will be built in the remaining 209 constituencies in a phased manner,” added the official.
While two-time Olympian Arokia Rajiv — who was part of Tokyo Games — lauded the government’s move, he felt facilities in the proposed academies should be nothing short but the best. “I welcome our TN government for undertaking such measures. If we are targeting medals at the Olympics, facilities in the Olympic academies we plan to build must be of that standard as well. The tracks, gyms and even coaches ought to be the best and only then will we get the result we desire,” Rajiv told TOI.
C Latha, secretary of Tamil Nadu Athletics Association (TNAA), is clear that facilities at the ground level must be improved for the athletes to be benefitted. “It is great that our state government has plans to build infrastructure that supports our athletes. But the facilities currently available need an upgrade. For example, synthetic tracks in Madurai and Coimbatore are in poor condition and need renovation and so are facilities and equipment in district level stadiums. We hope the state government looks into it,” said Latha.
TN govt lays more focus on Silambam
TN government has decided to make Silambam, a prehistoric martial art developed in the state, as one of the sporting disciplines eligible for recruitment under 3% sports quota. It has also written to the central government to include Silambam as an indigenous game of Tamil Nadu under “promotion of rural and Indigenous /tribal games” of Khelo India.
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