In a meeting to discuss the draft National Sports Governance Bill on Wednesday, India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra had an additional plea for the government — to fast-track the process of laying down the currently in-vogue ‘Mondotrack’ at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala.

Mondotrack is a new surface being used for track events and it is believed to enhance performance and reduce the chance of injury. The track events at the Paris Olympics and the Diamond League finale in Brussels were held on this track, which has been hailed by several top international stars.

The track, which is made of vulcanised rubber, absorbs shock and reduces fatigue with its elasticity and uniform dynamic response, helping athletes maintain their posture, stride-length and rhythm.

The material used also helps athletes springboard off the track. NIS Patiala, which is a National Centre of Excellence, currently has a traditional synthetic track, which is made of sand, fibre, wax, and rubber.

In the meeting between sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and elite athletes and coaches, the two-time Olympic medallist was vocal about the need for more stadiums at the grassroots level and a Mondo track in Patiala.

“Neeraj attended the discussion virtually and said he had been speaking about a Mondo track at Patiala since 2018-19. Facilities at the grassroots were another thing,” an official said.

“He said when Indian athletes compete abroad, most of the competitions these days are held on the Mondo track, which becomes a big disadvantage for them,” he added.

Neeraj also pointed out that stadiums should not just be used for national camps and major competitions like the World Cups.

“He said that when India was aiming to bring the Olympics in 2036, stadiums could not just be utilised for camps and World Cups. He said that if the country wants fresh talent, these stadiums should be utllised more,” the official added.

Key issues

Greater representation for athletes, better coordination between government and private stakeholders and the mandate for a proposed sports regulatory board were some major issues raised bycountry’s elite athletes during a consultation with thesports minister on thedraft National Sports Governance Bill.

The establishment of the Sports Regulatory Board is one of the key features of the draft bill, and the body will have the authority togrant, renew and suspend affiliations of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and National Sports Federations among others.

PTI