“Olympians’ Call for Universal Access: Demand for Kerala’s Regional Sports Centre (RSC) to be Available to All Reaches New Heights”

Kerala’s Regional Sports Centre (RSC) is facing a call for restructuring from a group of Olympians ahead of the meeting of the new set of office-bearers of the Kerala State Sports Council (KSSC). In a letter sent to the Sports Minister, E P Jayarajan, former international athletes M D Valsamma, Mercy Kuttan, Rosa Kutty, T C Yohannan and former international footballer O Chandrasekharan have asked for the RSC to be brought directly under the control of the sports council.

The RSC is home to the Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium, a tennis complex, a small artificial football field, a 25-metre swimming pool and a 10-metre shooting range, and was established to identify and nurture sports talents in Kerala to international standards. However, the Olympians claim that it is now only affordable for an elite section of society and that deserving sportspersons are being denied opportunities, with the Kerala Government’s norms being ignored.

The Olympians also allege that the indoor stadium is being rented out for private functions, such as marriages, without consultation with the sports council, and that the facilities are being used without consulting the council or government. They see this as a challenge to the council and government, and a threat to the future of Kerala sports.

In response, RSC Secretary, S A S Navaz, refutes the allegations, saying that the centre provides training facilities to all deserving sportspersons. He claims that the RSC does not discriminate between children of members and non-members, and that around 400 of the 600-odd regular trainees at the RSC are children of non-members. Navaz also states that the members do not use the facilities when regular coaching sessions are on, and that any fees charged for life membership are solely for meeting the costs involved in maintaining the facilities. He adds that the RSC needs around `15 lakh per month, which they meet without any aid from the government. Furthermore, he points out that the stadium is rented out for not more than 40 days in a year.

The RSC office-bearers have sought an appointment with the Sports Minister to present their version, and it remains to be seen what action will be taken to address the concerns of the Olympians and ensure that the RSC is accessible to all deserving sportspersons in Kerala.