Stomach this: No food for athletes from July 31

Mohali: Fund crunch is going to bite budding athletes hungry for excellence at the Punjab Institute of Sports (PIS) in Mohali. From July 31, they will have to either train on empty stomachs or sit idle at home while their opponents in other states intensify practice sessions for competitions. All this because the institute mess will be shutdown as its operators have not been paid dues for last six months.
“The contractors have sent a notice to us that they will close the mess from July 31,” Sukhvir Singh Grewal, director of sports, PIS, told TOI. The institute has been urging the Punjab government to release funds since February. “We don’t have money to provide athletes proper nutrition. The quality of food has deteriorated. If I am not wrong, the athletes have not eaten eggs and meat for last two months,” Grewal said.
On what will be happen after July 31, Grewal replied, “We will send the athletes home. What else can we do? Without food and proper nutrition, how can we ask them to perform well in their sports. I have been roaming around the secretariat for several months now, but no one has time to hear me out.”
“Producing champions on a regular basis is a long process, and here (PIS), we are trying to frame a roadmap for the next five to six years. But we don’t have new equipment. We require nearly 40 coaches in various sports, and now there will be no food for budding athletes,” said Grewal.
Amrit Gill, director, sports, Punjab government, said she was on leave for a month and had no idea about the crisis in the institute as she had just joined. “I have joined couple of days back and have no idea regarding this matter. I have additional charges also, but I can assure that I will definitely look into the matter,” said Gill.