‘Coaches left for India as girls battled for life’
NEW DELHI: Schoolgirl Nitisha Negi’s drowning at the Glenelg beach in Adelaide, Australia, on December 10 has exposed the callousness of officials accompanying sports contingents abroad.
Nitisha, a footballer, was part of the 150-member contingent sent by the School Games Federation of India — headed by Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar — to participate in the Pacific School Games.
A member of the team alleged that indifference on the part of officials was responsible for Nitisha’s death. “The men’s football coach (Virender Singh) was too busy enjoying. He had time to make merry but didn’t bother to appoint a team captain or chalk out strategy for matches. We were shocked by his attitude. He didn’t accompany us to the venue,” the player said on the condition of anonymity.
The player alleged that the coach had returned home on December 11 even as four girls — who too came perilously close to drowning — recuperated in a hospital.
Virender, a Delhi Education Department employee, denied he had gone to Australia. “Speak to my department,” he said. The football team manager Leena Vyas, also a Delhi Government official, said she wasn’t authorised to speak.
“Since it was their maiden international tour, almost all the girls were a bit scared. The anxious players, however, started going out as they settled down. We went out in small groups to explore the city,” said a team member.
On December 10, a day after the event got over, the Indian contingent, including the girls’ football team, visited Glenelg beach. Five girls, including Nitisha, ventured close to a section of the beach marked ‘hazardous area’. According to a player, they were only in knee-deep water when suddenly the water level rose alarmingly. Members of the boys’ hockey team and local surfers rushed to rescue them but could not save Nitisha. Her body was found the next day. “We were rushed to hospital in an unconscious state; we came to know about Nitisha’s death later,” said one of the rescued players.
The manager of the girls’ football team flew back to India on the morning of December 10 even though the team’s flight was on December 11.
“We don’t know why her flight was scheduled earlier,” said another team member.
Gaurav Dikshit, an official of the Maharashtra Education Department responsible for the itinerary, said he was not authorised to speak. Dikshit, it is learnt, had flown to Adelaide after the girls’ hockey players alleged illtreatment.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Government has initiated an inquiry. “Those conducting the inquiry haven’t yet met the four girls who had a narrow escape,” said Shyam Verma, whose daughter was a member of the football team.