NEW DELHI: Delhi authorities on Thursday ordered all sports facilities to stay open until 10:00 pm after a media report claimed that one stadium shuts early every evening — so that an official can walk his dog.
Built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, athletes and coaches at the Thyagraj Stadium in the Indian capital New Delhi have to clear out by 7:00 pm for the senior bureaucrat and his pet, The Indian Express reported.
“We used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier,” the newspaper quoted one unnamed coach as saying, publishing a photo of what it said was Delhi official Sanjeev Khirwar, a woman and a dog on the running track.
“But now we are asked to leave the ground by 7:00 pm so that the officer can walk his dog on the ground. Our training and practice routine has been disrupted.”
The paper quoted the parent of one trainee athlete at the stadium, which is used by national and state athletes and footballers, describing the situation as “unacceptable”.
“(Can) you justify using a state-owned stadium to walk your dog? This is gross misuse of power,” said the unnamed parent.
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