New Delhi:
Bowing down to the pressure over anger expressed by eight-year-old Kashmiri kickboxing champion Tajamul Islam on Facebook, the sports council has decided to release Rs 10 lakh aid for upgrading of the Ali Academy in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to media reports, Islam had hit out at the Jammu and Kashmir government for not providing proper training facilities and equipment for her and other sportspersons who hail from Bandipora district.
In a four-minute video uploaded on Facebook, Islam, who won a gold medal at world kickboxing championship in Italy last year, said it is a matter of shame that the state government has not been able to build a proper indoor stadium in Bandipora for sportspersons which could have enabled them to train throughout the year.
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"We do not have mats and a proper (roofed) hall where we can practice.
World Kickboxing Championship Gold medalist Tajamul Islam via FB, urges J&K Govt to provide facilities & set up indoor academy for athletes pic.twitter.com/m2adFerZGX
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 16, 2017
The state government talks big but has not done anything to provide these things to us," she said in the video.
While showing the tin shed used as 'indoor hall', the youngster said there was no heating arrangement inside that would have made training possible during winters.
"The roof is also leaking and rainwater has created potholes in the hall floor. Look at the facilities in Jammu and Delhi. Rain does not affect the sportspersons there and they can practice throughout the year," she said. Islam appealed to the Centre and state government to construct an indoor stadium in Bandipora and also provide the required equipment for her to continue her training.
(With inputs from PTI)
