New sports policy on the anvil

In a television programme to be telecast on June 10, Bharti said she would set aside an hour everyday to interact with sportspersons in order to understand their problems and extract ideas on improving the existing policy.

Referring to complaints from athletes regarding lack of practising equipment and facilities, the minister declared she would pay surprise visits to national grounds and stadia to get an idea of the “apathy of officials and coaches”.

The half-an-hour programme, would have well known former sportspersons like Amit Khanna, Asha Agarwal and Makhan Singh revealing their harassment suffered despite having been feted feted as champions at national level and representing the country at the international level.

Most of the complaints relate to sportpersons of yesteryears being unable to earn a decent living due to a ”mismanaged and lop-sided” sports policy.