SAI threatens to shut Pune CWG camp

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Wednesday threatened to shut the Commonwealth Games camp in Pune, scheduled to start from Monday, if the swimmers boycotted it. The swimmers had threatened to skip the camp if it was not shifted to SAI South Centre, Bangalore, which they claim has better facilities than the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.

Pravir Krishn, joint secretary, SAI, told TOI that it would be the end of the camp if the swimmers failed to comply with the SAI directives. "We will shut the camp if they skip it," he said. He also rubbished charges that the facilities in Pune were below par. "The swimmers had trained in Pune prior to the South Asian Games in Bangladesh. I don’t know what happened suddenly to demand a change in venue. The camp has been allotted to Pune and it will continue there," Krishn said.

Meanwhile, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) has reacted sharply to the SAI ultimatum. "Let them shut the camp. We will not budge from our demand," said an adamant SFI secretary general Virendra Nanavati. "The federation has forwarded the coaches’ report to SAI. Our coaches will not attend the camp until a favourable decision is taken. We will not hesitate to approach the sports minister if SAI does not heed our request," he added.