Sports bodies protest delay in SAI Kurnool hostel admissions

Kurnool: Leaders from various sports associations joined aspiring athletes in a protest outside Kurnool Outdoor Stadium on Saturday. They demanded immediate release of the admission notification for Sports Authority of India (SAI) Sports Hostel in Kurnool.

Protesters highlighted how the ongoing delay in admissions is denying local talented youth access to essential structured training and residential facilities, hindering their sporting development.

Key speakers, including Sports Associations JAC leader Nagaratnamayya, District Olympic Association executive secretary Sunil Kumar, District Boxing Association president Suresh Goud, District Private School Physical Education Teachers Association president Chinna Sunkanna, and District Taekwondo Association secretary Satish, asserted that the delay was intentional. They alleged a deliberate effort to undermine the Kurnool centre.

The group further claimed that plans were afoot to relocate the SAI Sports Hostel to Tirupati. They accused certain officials and out-of-state coaches in administrative positions of orchestrating this shift. Such a move, they warned, would inflict lasting harm on the district’s sporting ecosystem and disproportionately impact young athletes from economically disadvantaged families.

The demonstrators called on SAI authorities to act swiftly and issue admission notification without further delay. They cautioned that continued inaction would trigger stronger protests ahead.

The event saw participation from numerous sportspersons, parents of trainees, and association members.