A senior official of Jharkhand Sports department today said the state government has decided to hold preparatory camps for the 35th National Games under the supervision of officials of respective sports association.
The Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) had demanded release of funds directly to it like the last 34th National but the state government decided to hold camps this time under the supervision of officials of respective sports associations, Director Sports of Jharkhand Dadan Choubey said.
Funds could not be released due to model code of conduct in force following the ensuing elections, the Director Sports said.
"We have assured them that the government will provide all facilities for the camps to be held under the supervision of the officials of the sports associations qualified for the games," Choubey said.
The Director Sports claimed many players have reached Ranchi to take part in the first-phase preparatory camp even as Jharkhand Olympic Association (JOA) denied the claim.
"As per the schedule, athletes, players of hockey, wrestling, swimming, along with officials, have arrived in Ranchi to take part in the first phase of the preparatory camp from tomorrow," Choubey said.
However, JOA's interim secretary Shivendu Dubey said no sports association has participated in the camp as the government did not release funds.
"We have sent a letter to the Sports department recently and served a 15-day ultimatum to release the funds for the preparatory camps," he said.
The JOA would conduct coaching camps on its own if the government failed to release funds, he added.
Incidentally, the Secretary General of JOA, S M Hashmi and former Director (sports) P K Mishra are in judicial custody now after being arrested on October 16 in connection with financial irregularities in the 34th National Games hosted by Jharkhand.
