LUCKNOW: Physically-challenged mountaineer Arunima Sinha today said disabled athletes are not getting a proper platform to showcase their talent.
She accused sports officials of not making public dates of national para-athletics championship and leaking information to a selected few players.
“Whenever the national para-athletic games are held, information does not reach the athletes. Whether the physically-challenged athletes participate or not, is a different question. But, we should be informed at least by emails,” she said.
Arunima had scaled the Mt Everest on May 21, 2013, becoming the first female amputee to reach the highest peak of the world.
Citing an example, the mountaineer, who was awarded Padma Shri in 2015, said, “In March-April this year Jaipur hosted the national para-athletics championship. But, I came to know about it very recently. With great difficulty, I came to know that the next such championship will be held in October-November.
“Similarly, the national junior para-athletics games were held on June 11 in Faridabad. But, sportspersons did not get any information. The physically-challenged sportspersons are not getting a proper platform to showcase their talents,” she rued.
She also alleged that the physically-challenged players were forced to seek permission from officials to enter sports stadia.
“This is absolutely unjustified,” she said.
Arunima, who had earlier expressed interest in opening an academy for physically-challenged sportspersons in UP’s Unnao district, said she now wants to open the academy in the state capital.
She also urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to put a mechanism in place, so that physically- challenged athletes do not have to seek permission from sports officials to enter any stadium. (AGENCIES)
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