Sports Ministry issues new guidelines to SAI after athlete suicide in Kerala

The Sports Ministry has asked the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to set up a 24-hour helpline among implementing other corrective measures for well being of the trainees in the wake of suicide attempt by four girl athletes at SAI’s Alappuzha centre. The corrective actions have been formulated by the Ministry after examining the report submitted by SAI DG Injeti Srinivas on the controversial incident. [caption id=“attachment_2234304” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational Image. Getty Images[/caption] As per the recommendations, SAI should empanel counselling psychologists to visit its centers once in a fortnight or once in a month, as may be required, for the purpose of group counselling as well as one-on-one counselling. All girls hostels must compulsorily have a full-time lady warden and all centers should preferably be run at least by Assistant Director (AD) level officers. The Ministry also wants to make Yoga as a compulsory activity in all SAI centers. “Part-time Yoga instructors may be engaged for this purpose. Organisations imparting Yoga courses should be roped in to provide training on Yoga,” said the Ministry in a release. The release further added that a two-day module on sports psychology should be prepared in consultation with AIIMS and introduced in all SAI centers. The Ministry also recommended that all eligible SAI trainees should be covered under the newly introduced Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY). “Expenditure on these measures will be met from the allocated budget of SAI,” the release added. PTI