GUWAHATI, Aug 28 - The Guwahati Squash Racket Association (GSRA) took a jibe at the Sports Authority of Assam (SAA) for playing a negative role as far as coaching of the game of squash is concerned.
The GSRA secretary Dhrubajyoti Kalita, addressing a press conference here today said, �The Squash Complex, situated in the RG Baruah Sports Complex here, which was set up during the South Asian Games, was handed over to our organisation on May 1, 2016 for a period of six months for conducting coaching to the youngsters.
�But the SAA � the administrative authority of the Complex, vide a letter issued on August 18, asked us to hand over the keys of the complex which forced us to discontinue the regular coaching programme.�
The GSRA was conducting coaching camps since March 1 last year among the beginners under a Level II certified coach of Squash Federation of India. Since then the organisation has been organising coaching camps regularly where good number of city based boys and girls were being introduced to the basics of the game. The number of participants gradually increased with the game becoming popular within a short span of time.
The GSRA also organised tournaments like All Guwahati Open Squash Championship and a ranking tournament recently.
The vice president of the GSRA Munin Nobis said, �After expiry of the agreement with the SAA we met Sports Minister Naba Kumar Doley, where Director of Sports Pabitra Ram Khound was also present. Doley instructed the Director to take the necessary step so that training can be continued in the complex and the GSRA can carry on their day to day activities.
Recently, the organisation contacted Dalip Tripathy, World Squash Federation�s Level II coach, for conducting a camp from September 10 to 20. Tripathy, who trained international players like Saurav Ghosal, Dipika Pallikal, Ramit Tandon, among others had agreed to impart training in the proposed camp despite his busy schedule.
But the sudden move of the SAA came like a bolt from the blue for the GSRA.
Nobis further alleged that as per the SAA instruction they wanted to discuss the matter with the Assam Squash Racket Association (ASRA) which hardly has any existence. �The ASRA is neither affiliated to the Assam Olympic Association nor has any activities since its inception in the year 2007 and it was not possible to discuss the matter with the State body. The ASRA even did not hold any meeting or urged the districts to form their units,� Nobis said.
Col Ranjit Borthakur, adviser of the GSRA opined that the authority should allow to continue training in the complex as a large number of youngsters have been attracted by this newly introduced game.
The officials of the city squash body has appealed to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to take necessary steps so that the coaching programme of the event can be continued as few players from this centre are coming out and have been able to draw attention in the national circuit.
