SAAP will adopt athlete Jyothika Sri: Managing Director

Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Vice-chairman and Managing Director (VC&MD) N Bangaru Raju announced that SAAP will be adopting international athlet Jyothika Sri and would give coaching at Vijayawada. Bangaru Raju confidently said she will get athletic medal in coming Olympics.

SAAP VC&MD Bangaru Raju spoke to media persons at a press conference at Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation (IGMC) stadium here on Tuesday. He said that Jyothika Sri stood in fourth palce in 400 meters run at Asia Youth Athletic Championship held at Bangkok and she played key role in keeping Indian team in fifth place. In this connection, SAAP decided to adopt Jyothika Sri and provide boarding, lodging, education and coaching facilities, he added.

"SAAP and Sports Authority of India (SAI) will be encouraging talented players and now SAAP is aiming on Olympic medal and it will come through Jyothika Sri. SAAP will appointing international coach only for Jyothik Sri" he said. Moreover he said that within three years she would get Olympic medal. A section of sports anaylists suggested to SAAP for her adoption, he explained.

He further said that about 3,000 government high school playgrounds were being developed in all 13 districts for encouraging sports and games. This initiation was taken from the New Sports Policy. The government prepared detailed estimations regarding playgrounds and which were reached to District Water and Management Authority (DWAMA) officers, he said.

All these playgrounds would be ready by June 12 and school students might take coaching from their Physical Education Teachers (PET), he suggested. Another 61 new Kreeda Vikasa Kendralu (KVK) would also be arranged in all 13 district and about 45 KVKs were ready, he added. The state government was focusing on sports and expecting medals at state and national levels, he said.

Regarding sports development, he said that SAAP would arrange sports academies after 15 year break where talented players would be taking coaching as well as free education, boarding and lodging. He further said that league tournaments would be conducted at summer residential camps and these camps would conclude next week. About 30, 000 students had been taking coaching at non-residential camps, he explained.

SAAP VC&MD Bangaru Raju made it clear that outsourcing coaches recruitment would be condcucted through selected and qualified agency only. Previously SAAP conducted interviews not for postings, but they were organised only for talent search. About 65 outsourcing coaches would be recruited through outsourcing agency, he said. He skipped answer to a question whether SAAP officials conducted applications verification at hotel or not.